Fight or Flight
by Caeci
Summary: There are three things that Thanagarians treasure above all else, making a name for themselves in battle, battle, and family. Hawkgirl has been living on Earth for seven years when she and her fellow "sidekicks" discover a clone of Superman and form a team of their own. She's not sure how they ended up where they are, but she does know that she's in for a hell of of a fight.
1. Today's Almost the Day

Ever since the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoons aired, Hawkgirl has been one of my favorite characters. So naturally, when Hawkwoman and Hawkman showed up in Young Justice I was ecstatic.

Only to be disappointed by their lack of participation.

I've had this story in the works for a long time and only very recently decided to make it a fully-fledged fic and post it. It is an OC fic if you can't tell, so if that really isn't your cup of tea, I won't blame you.

This story will also be episodic, with the entire episode comprising a single chapter. In between, there will be past interludes as well as side stories, as there's only so much you can cram into a single episode.

I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

Update: Has been edited for minor mistakes after several reviews have been posted. Thanks for the help, guys! : )

* * *

ST. ROCH  
JULY 4th, 2010  
12:00 EDT

"Move!" Hawkwoman barely gave warning before slamming her mace straight into the side of the Snowman's head, giving Hawkgirl only seconds to duck out of the path of the swing. Folding her wings in closer to her body, she momentarily disengaged from the conflict as her mother started to rain blows down onto the giant yeti.

Flaring her wings out to hover into the air, Hawkgirl quickly cast a glance backwards to make sure her father was still okay. The Snowman had backhanded him into a building when Hawkman had attempted to charge into the fray, and now he lay out of commission for the moment in a severely dented shipping container.

Hawkwoman continued to rain blows down onto the beast as she kept his attention solely on her. That left Hawkgirl free to act unhindered. Pressing a hidden button on her mace, the Nth metal spiked ball disengaged from the handle, revealing a long chain. Whirling the chain around a few times to build momentum, she sent it flying towards the Snowman's legs, letting the chain circle around. Yanking with all of her strength, she forced his knees together and immobilized him.

Hawkman finally made a reappearance with a guttural war cry as he flew straight towards the Snowman, slamming his gauntleted fists into Snowman's abdomen. A well timed yank from Hawkgirl and a final hit from Hawkwoman's mace sent the yeti sprawling backwards and unconscious onto the asphalt.

While the police arrived on the scene and loaded the limp yeti into the back of a secured transport, the Hawks had taken to the air, hovering just above the nearest building and keeping an eye on the proceedings.

"That was quick thinking, tripping him like that." Hawkman said as he put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It made knocking him out a hell of a lot easier."

Hawkgirl smiled at the praise. "He deserved it after he managed to take you down so easily."

Chuckling at the backhanded response, Hawkwoman rushed the tip of her wings against her daughter's. Hawkman scowled at her when he saw his wife's amusement, but she merely smirked.

Scowling, Hawkman decided the best course of action would be to change the subject. "It looks like they have things well in hand here. We don't want to be late."

Hawkgirl's brow furrowed slightly. "Today's the day, but…"

"Everything's going to be fine, Skylar." Katar assured her immediately. "Besides, you already know that this entire thing is a complete farce. It doesn't actually _mean_ anything."

Shayera swatted him on the arm, one of the few areas not covered in armor, frowning heavily.

"What?" Katar grumbled as he rubbed at his arm. "It's true."

"Try to be more supportive of our daughter." Shayera snapped. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she added. "Even if it is true."

H

WASHINGTON, D.C.  
JULY 4TH, 2010  
14:00 EDT

Despite literally being two of the fastest people on the planet, Flash and Kid Flash were the only two missing from the gathering in front of the Hall of Justice. Hawkgirl and her parents had arrived shortly after Green Arrow and Speedy, who had been the first. It wasn't long before Robin, Aqualad, and their respective mentors showed up.

If this had been a normal gathering, Robin, Hawkgirl, and Speedy would have immediately rush to the others' side and start comparing stories about the ice villains they'd all just fought. But not today. Today was _different_. Instead, they resolutely stayed by their mentors.

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice" Green Arrow greeted, definitely playing up the theatricality of the moment.

"Headquarters of the Justice League" Aquaman added.

Hawkgirl felt a pressure on her shoulder and looked up at her father, who tilted his head in such a manner that she knew he was rolling his eyes. She managed to stifle an outright laugh at his antics, but a small smile still tinged her lips. Anyone looking from the outside would merely assume that she was smiling from excitement and some kind of nonverbal praise from her father.

Hawkgirl's feathers were suddenly ruffled from a gust of wind that swept over the party. "Aw man!" A familiar voice whined, sounding thoroughly put out. Turning her head, she could see that the missing speedsters had finally showed up. "I knew we'd be the last ones." Kid Flash crossed his arms in a huff.

"Now that we're all here…" Batman interrupted, bringing the attention back to the matter at hand. "Let's go."

Hawkgirl didn't catch the exact exchange between Kid Flash and Robin as they finally spoke to one another, only seeing them both high-five, as she was more focused on the sudden rise of noise and frequency of camera flashes that followed the arrival of the last hero and sidekick. They were in front of the actual building itself, cut off from the citizens by a few flimsy velvet ropes.

Her unease grew as they headed towards the Hall of Justice, paparazzi and the media surrounding it from nearly all sides. Cameras flashed right and left, and she did her best to keep her spine straight and an indifferent expression on her face as she walked in step in front of both of her parents.

" _Is that Batman?!"_

" _I see Flash! And Flash Jr!"_

" _His name's Speedy, duh"_

" _No, Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick!"_

" _Well that makes no sense!"_

" _Look, the whole Hawk family's here!"_

"I'm glad we're all here." Aqualad said warmly. Even though he'd only met the other teens a scant few times before, he still considered them friends and was glad they were here with him on this momentous occasion.

"Have all five sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash wondered aloud as they headed towards the doors, immediately earning himself a scathing retort from Speedy.

" _Don't_ call us sidekicks. Not after today."

"Sorry" Kid Flash immediately apologized, sounding genuinely sheepish. "It's my first time at the Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

Robin sighed. "You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn't anyone just ever _whelmed_?" His eyes widened in surprise as they emerged into the entrance hall, the massive statues of the founding members of the League staring down at them. "Oh. Maybe that's why."

Soon, they were joined by both Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter, the latter of whom stepped forward to address them. "Robin, Speedy, Hawkgirl, Aqualad, Kid Flash, welcome." He turned, leading them further into the 'inner sanctum' of the Hall of Justice. "You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley, and of course, our library."

Hawkgirl took a moment to take in the sight of the room Martian Manhunter had just led them into, every wall lined with bookcases filled from end to end. Dominating the end of the room was a massive screen and console, with a few chairs and a table scattered in front of it.

"Make yourselves at home." Flash gestured widely with his arms. Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad all immediately settled down onto the chairs in front of them as their mentors moved to gather.

Hawkgirl remained standing, deeming the time it would take to find a comfortable position with her wings unworthy. She managed to snag her mother's arm before she joined the other members of the League, letting her father continue on.

" _The others don't know, do they?_ " She asked quietly in fluent Thanagarian, quickly glancing towards her friends.

" _No"_ Hawkwoman replied immediately.

" _This isn't going to end well, is it?"_

She minutely shook her head in reply, before heading over to stand at her husband's side just in time for the computer to start scanning them for admittance.

"That's _it_?!" Speedy suddenly exploded just as the doors slid open and the League members were about to enter. His indignant cry effectively trapped them where they stood. "You promised us a _real_ look inside, not a glorified backstage pass."

Aquaman was the first member of the League to step forward and attempt to reason with the angry archer. "It's a first step." He said gently. "You've been given access to what few others get."

That didn't diffuse the situation in the slightest, and Roy gestured towards the civilians watching them through the window. "Oh really? Who cares what side of the glass we're on?"

At Aquaman's failure, Green Arrow took the initiative in calming down his protégé. "Roy, you just need to be patient."

"What I need is _respect_." Turning towards the others, it was clear he was looking for allies in his friends. "They're treating us like kids. Worse, like _sidekicks_." He spat out the word like it was a curse. "We deserve better than this."

Everyone remained silent. Hawkgirl tilted her head slightly to the side and looked back at both of her parents, attempting to silently reassure them that she held no ill will towards them on the matter.

Seeing that no one else was going to step forward, Roy's scowl deepened. "You're kidding, right? You're playing their game? Why?! Today was supposed to be _the_ day! Step one to becoming full-fledged members of the League!"

Kid Flash shrugged. "Well, sure. But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ."

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ!" Speedy snapped suddenly. By the wide eyed looks on Robin, Aqualad, and Kid Flash's faces they hadn't known. "Bet they never told you that it was just a false front for tourists and a pit stop to catching Zeta-beam tubes to the real thing! An orbiting satellite called the Watchtower."

Hawkgirl was honestly surprised that at least Robin hadn't known, considering he seemed to know everything. Of course, she herself only knew of the base's existence because she was the only one of her friends who had left the Earth's atmosphere.

Green Arrow immediately became the subject of scrutiny, and he visibly wilted under the attention. "I know, I know, but I thought maybe we could make an exception?"

Batman's legendary glare was the only response needed.

"Or not." Green Arrow winced, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

Once again, Aquaman stepped forward in an attempt to calm down Speedy. "You are not helping your cause here, son. Stand down."

Usually, the calm and collected King of Atlantis was an excellent voice of reason, but in this situation, there was no getting through to Speedy. "Or you'll what? Send me to my room? I'm not your son!" Speedy shouted. "I'm not even his." Sending a scathing glare his mentor's way, he kept talking. "I thought I was his partner. But not anymore." He tore off his yellow hat and threw it on the ground, storming out of the room. Speedy only paused long enough to address his fellow teens. "Guess they're right about you four, you're _not_ ready."

Those that were sitting rose back to their feet as Speedy disappeared from sight completely, but before anyone could say anything, a harsh beeping filled the room. The massive screen suspended on the wall blinked to life, revealing Superman's image. "Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire."

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus." Batman admitted. "This may present the perfect opportunity to-"

The Dark Knight was interrupted as yet another Leaguer sent out a distress signal, this one the resident magician. "Zatara to Justice League. The sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Aten to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response."

"Superman?" Batman asked.

"It's a small fire. The local authorities have it under control." Superman assured.

"Then Cadmus can wait." Pressing a key, Batman broadcasted his own message. "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out." Both Superman and Zatara cut off their link, letting the screen go dark as Batman turned to the sidekicks. "Stay put."

"What, why?" Robin immediately spoke up.

"This is a _League_ mission." Aquaman answered easily.

"You're not trained-" Flash began, only for Wally to abruptly cut him off.

"Since when?!" The young speedster insisted, looking visibly agitated.

Flash put his hands up in a placating gesture, obviously trying to avoid another confrontation like the one that had just resulted in Speedy's leaving. "I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team."

"There will be other missions when you're ready." Aquaman added.

"But for now…" Batman took over. "Stay put."

Hawkwoman and Hawkman were the last two Leaguers to leave the room. _"We will return soon."_ Hawkwoman assured as she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

Hawkman let one of his massive wings brush his daughter's. " _Stay out of trouble, Ski'Lira_."

She nodded, giving them a small smile before they both left to join the rest of their teammates. Now, she was alone with the other sidekicks. It was only a few moments before the lingering tension in the room came to a head.

"When we're ready?!" Kid Flash shouted, seemingly a step away from tearing at his hair from anger. "How are we supposed to ever be ready when they treat us like sidekicks?"

There was a hurt look in Aqualad's pale green eyes. "My mentor… my king… I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics! They've got a secret HQ in space!"

"What _else_ aren't they telling us?"

Letting out a small huff, Hawkgirl's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. At the moment, she was torn. She both wanted to let them get all of this… vitriol out of their systems while they were out of earshot of their mentors, but she also wanted to shout some sense into them.

Even though she'd been living on this planet for seven years now, Earthlings still found new ways to befuddle her.

"I have a better question." Robin said. "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

A brief, uncomfortable silence settled over the group before Aqualad finally broke it. "What is Project Cadmus?"

"Don't know" Robin admitted, before he suddenly smirked. "But I can find out." Making a beeline for the console, his gloved fingers immediately started to manipulate the keyboard. The others in the room, even a still silent Hawkgirl, all moved closer to the computer.

"Access Denied" A mechanical voice announced.

The denial seemed to do nothing more than amuse Robin, as his doubled his efforts breaking into the system. "Heh, wanna bet?"

"Whoa, how are you doing that?" Kid Flash's green eyes were wide.

"Same system as the Batcave" There was a definite note of amusement and smugness in the young Bat's voice.

Mere moments later, the mechanical voice once more spoke. "Access Granted"

It only took a few moments for Robin to locate the relevant information and start scanning. "Alright, Project Cadmus, genetics lab here in DC… That's all there is, but if Batman's suspicious, maybe we should investigate." Robin suggested, an unnerving grin on his face.

"Solve their case before they do" That thought seemed to strike a chord in the Atlantean. "It would be poetic justice."

"Hey, they're all about justice."

"But they said to stay put." Aqualad reminded, shoulders slumping slightly.

It was at that moment that Skylar finally decided to speak up. "If I remember correctly, Batman restricted us from taking on Wotan, not stopping a local fire."

Kid Flash looked between his friends. "Wait, are you going to Cadmus? 'Cause if you're going, I'm going."

Aqualad cocked a brow. "So, just like that? A team on a mission?"

"We didn't come for a play date." Robin's grin widened, if that was possible.

H

As soon as Robin had given them the exact location of Cadmus, Kid Flash picked up Robin bridal style and sped off into the streets of DC, leaving Hawkgirl and Aqualad alone. Seeing the issue, Hawkgirl took pity on the Atlantean.

"Want a ride?" She asked, offering him her hands from her place hovering next to him.

"I do not wish to be a burden." Shaking his head, he immediately denied the offer. "Atlanteans have a higher density than humans."

"And I'm a Thanagarian." She corrected, sounding a bit irate about it. "If I can carry an unconscious Hawkman in full battle armor, I can carry you." Before he could protest further, she took the initiative and dropped down to grab him by the wrists. Just as he let out a startled noise, she took off straight up into the air without warning.

The flight was short and their location was easily marked by the steadily growing plume of black smoke. Hawkgirl dropped Aqualad down next to Kid Flash and Robin before moving back towards the building. Using her mace, she smashed out windows and started to ferry trapped scientists down safely to the ground. Kid Flash rescued a couple of scientists before vanishing inside the still burning building, Robin following closely behind.

At the only one capable of actually stopping the fire, Aqualad manipulated as much water as he could to quench the flames. Seeing that he had everything well in hand, Skylar too disappeared into the depths of the building, finding Robin and Kid Flash easily.

"Appreciate the help." Aqualad deadpanned as he finally joined the others. Robin was already deep into hacking into one of the computers, while the other two were perusing through a couple of file cabinets.

"You handled it. Besides, we're here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember?" The Boy Wonder reminded without looking up from the screen. Leaving his comrades to their information gathering, the Atlantean decided to investigate further into the office. Just as he looked around the corner, he saw an unusual silhouette in the elevator, only visible for a few moments before the doors closed.

"There was something in the…" Aqualad said, Kid Flash at his side in an instant.

"Elevators should be locked down." The speedster pointed out.

Seconds later, the two missing birds had joined them. "This is wrong." Robin muttered as he activated the holoscreen on his glove and started to hack into the system once again. "Thought so. This is a high speed express elevator. It doesn't belong on a two story building."

"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad muttered before striding forwards. Forcing his fingers into the crack of the elevator, he tore the doors apart, revealing a seemingly endless hole.

"And that's why they need an express elevator."

Using his grappling hook, Robin attached himself to the supports at the top of the elevator shaft and dropped down into the abyss. Aqualad gave him a few moments before jumping forwards and grasping the rope, riding it down.

"Ladies first?" Wally gestured towards the rope, smirking at Hawkgirl.

The Thanagarian narrowed her eyes at him underneath her helmet. Without saying a word, she dove headfirst into the hole, falling far faster than he could. Mere seconds before she reached the others, she snapped her wings out, slowing her descent and hovering patiently while Robin hacked open the door. Wally was trying to hide his impressed look with nonchalance.

"There, go" Robin announced as the doors opened, revealing an extensive hallway nearly two stories tall. "Welcome to Project Cadmus."

Before anyone could stop him, Kid Flash sped ahead in an attempt to scout the area. However, said attempt was quickly cut short as his path was abruptly cut off by colossal quadrupeds unlike anything he'd ever seen before. He was so focused on the sight before him, he barely registered as his friends caught up to him and were similarly frozen.

Out of the group, Aqualad and Hawkgirl were the only ones nonplussed by the sight, the former because he had grown up with the creatures that evolved in the deepest parts of the ocean and the latter having personal experience with alien species that put these things to shame.

"No, nothing odd going on here." Aqualad deadpanned.

H

Following the path of the twisting halls, the group of teens had managed to find what appeared to be some kind of power generator. Lining the walls from floor to ceiling were glass tubes, each bearing an insectoid creature that was generating electricity, all of the energy funneled through conduits into a contraption at the end of the room.

"Okay, I'm officially whelmed." Robin admitted.

"This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world." There was almost a reverence in Kid Flash's tone as he examined one of the tubes. "The real Cadmus isn't on the grid. It generates its own power with these… things. Must be what they're bred for…"

"Even the name is a clue." Aqualad offered. "The Cadmus of myth made a new race by sowing dragon's teeth into the earth."

"Your Earth mythology is strange." Hawkgirl muttered to herself, shaking her head slightly.

That earned her an incredulous look from Wally. "Uh, I'm pretty sure you once told me Thanagarians used to sacrifice people to a giant octopus."

"That is not a myth."

Robin decided to take control of the situation before Hawkgirl could break the speedster's brain any more than she already had over the years. "This Cadmus creates new life too…" Activating his glove again, he hacked into the nearest console. "Let's find out why…" An image of one of the creatures they had seen earlier popped up. "They call them genomorphs… Whoa! Look at the stats on these things! Super strength, telepathy, razor claws… These are living weapons."

Eyes widening, Kid Flash spoke as he realized what was going on. "They're engineering an army… But for who?"

"Wait, there's something else." Brow furrowing, Robin started to dig deeper into the files. "Project Kr… The file's triple encrypted, I can't-"

"Don't move!"

Hawkgirl's mace was instantly hand and her wings flare out behind her in a battle stance as the newcomer stormed into the room, accompanied by one of the small genomporphs on his shoulder and a pack of wolf-like creatures surrounding him. To her surprise, the golden-helmeted man paused, eyes widening in recognition. "Wait, Robin? Aqualad? Kid Flash? Hawkgirl?"

Not looking up from his computer nor ceasing his hacking, Robin muttered a, "At least he got your name right" to Kid Flash.

"I know you." Aqualad relaxed from his own battle stance. "Guardian, a hero."

"I do my best." Guardian admitted, still wary.

"Then what are you doing here?" Kid Flash asked.

"I'm chief of security. You're trespassing, but we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

"You think the League is going to approve you breeding weapons?"

 _That_ seemed to throw the older hero for a loop. "Weapons? What are you?" His face started to contort and his eyes close, one of his hands drifting up to his temple. "What have I…? Ugh, my head." In a single instant, his entire countenance changed, his face and eyes going terrifyingly blank. "Take 'em down hard! No mercy!"

At his command, the pack of genomorphs surged forward towards the teens. Robin immediately dropped a smoke bomb, obscuring their efforts as the pack reached them. Robin disappeared into the ceiling via grapple gun, leaving the remaining three to fight off the pack themselves. Hawkgirl had a pleased grin on her face as she started batting away creatures with her mace. She couldn't see how the others were faring through the smoke, but from the lack of frantic screaming she was sure they were fine.

After they'd managed to fight off the initial attack, they retreated back into the hallway where Robin had disappeared. Or rather, Kid Flash and Aqualad had retreated and Hawkgirl had reluctantly followed. It was a pity, she'd _really_ wanted to take on Guardian.

"Way to be a team player, Rob!" Kid Flash shouted as they caught up to the Boy Wonder, who was already working on getting the elevator open.

"Weren't you right behind me?" He asked, just as the doors slid open and they all flew inside, narrowly escaping the horde of genomorphs pursuing them.

Setting her jaw, Hawkgirl drew her wings as close to her back as she could as they were sealed inside the enclosed space. Robin was the only one to spare her a glance, but seeing that she seemed fine for the moment, he looked away.

"We're headed down?" Aqualad asked, eyes glued to the numbers continually increasing on the display.

"Dude, out is up!" Kid Flash's arms flailed slightly.

"Excuse me? Project Kr?" Robin reminded, scowling slightly. "It's down on sublevel fifty two."

This seemed to be the moment where Aqualad had finally reached his rope. "This is getting out of control. Perhaps… Perhaps we should contact the League."

As they all took a moment to mull over the idea in silence, a short dinging noise filled the space as the metal box stopped on floor fifty two. The doors slid open and their minds were made up for them as they headed out into the hallway. Hawkgirl was the last one out, wary from the unnatural scents filling her nose. The moment she was free, she let her wings stretch out to their full length… and immediately retracted them as they hit the squishy walls. She made a face and was glad that she was at the back of the group so they didn't see her short plight.

"We are already here." Kid Flash pointed out as they started forward.

Aqualad gave a resigned sigh before setting his shoulders and following. "Which way?" The Atlantean asked once they came to a fork in the abnormal looking hallway.

Robin smirked. "Yeah. Bizarre-looking hallway one or bizarre-looking hallway two?"

Any decision they could have made was interrupted by the appearance of yet another genomorph. "Halt!" It shouted, as it started manipulating the equipment around them with telekinesis, throwing heavy machinery in their direction. Throwing a batarang at it to distract it, he led the charge out of the immediate area. Kid Flash surged forward, plowing accidentally into a Cadmus scientist and sending her sprawling to the ground. Not paying any mind to her, he grabbed a metal tank and quickly lugged it towards the rapidly closing metal door, jamming it open. "Hurry!"

The moment they were all inside, Aqualad kicked out the metal tank and the door automatically sealed itself.

"I disabled the door." Robin announced. "We're safe."

"We're trapped." Aqualad corrected as he moved away from the door, Hawkgirl at his side.

"Uh… guys?" It was the most uncertain and unsteady that Kid Flash had ever sounded in the years that Hawkgirl had known him, his mere tone setting her on edge. "You'll wanna see this." He pressed a button on an isolated console, turning on the lights, revealing the crown jewel of Cadmus.

A near exact clone of Superman.

"Whoa" Robin summed up their mutual feeling pretty perfectly with a single word.

H

The present speedster was the first one to approach the glass coffin, pressing his fingers briefly to the symbol engraved on it. "Big K little R" Kid Flash muttered to himself. "The atomic symbol for Krypton."

"Robin, hack." Aqualad snapped.

"Right, right." He immediately set to work, and in moments he had access to the relevant files. "Weapon designation: Superboy. A clone force grown in… sixteen weeks?! From DNA acquired from Superman."

" _Stolen_ from Superman" Aqualad clarified vindictively.

"No way the big guy knows about this." Shaking his head slightly, Kid Flash was obviously having difficulty processing this turn of events.

"His solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation twenty-four seven." Robin continued to read off of the files, Hawkgirl looking over his shoulder and scanning them just as quickly as he was.

"And these… creatures?" Aqualad asked.

"Genomorph gnomes. Telepathic. They're force feeding him an education."

"And we can guess what else." Kid Flash added. "They're making a slave out of … well, Superman's son."

Once again, Aqualad's collected demeanor was starting to crack slightly. " _Now_ we contact the League." He insisted.

"No signal" Robin pointed out, a regretful grimace on his face.

"We're in too deep. Literally" Kid Flash's tone was solemn, despite his small attempt at humor. "This is wrong."

"We can't leave him like this…"

"Set him free. Do it" Aqualad agreed. Hawkgirl nodded in affirmation, though she did tighten her grip on her mace. She had a bad feeling about this entire situation, and it wasn't just because they were uncomfortably deep underground. With a few taps of the keyboard, Robin was able to open the pod, and it cracked open with a pneumatic hiss.

The teen heroes all watched with bated breath and unblinking eyes as Superboy's hand abruptly twitched and clenched into a tight fist. A second later, his eyes snapped open revealing a brilliant blue that matched the Man of Steel's perfectly.

The moment of peace was abruptly shattered as the clone let out a feral growl and tackled Aqualad. Kid Flash and Robin immediately ran over and grabbed his arms, while he still straddled Aqualad's chest.

"Whoa, hang on Supey" Kid Flash said through gritted teeth, desperately trying to pull him off.

"We're on your side." Robin added.

The speedster was thrown backwards with a flail of the clone's arm, smashing straight into a thick glass tube. Fighting to stay conscious, Kid Flash flopped limply onto the ground, not noticing as Hawkgirl dropped at his side and checked on his vitals. Robin had managed to leverage out of Superboy's grasp and slammed a canister of tear gas into the clone's face, forcing him off of the Atlantean.

Aqualad snapped out a foot, slamming it into Superboy's chest and sending him flying backwards into his metal and glass prison. The impact had been so rough, that there was a perfect dent of Superboy's body on the metal slab. Having deemed Kid Flash alright for the moment, Hawkgirl turned her attention back to the fight.

Robin had dug out a taser from his belt and had shot the twin prongs at the clone. Before they could reach his skin, Superboy grabbed the wires out of the air and used them to pull Robin forward, knocking him off balance and slamming the young hero onto his back. Rearing back a foot, he slammed it down onto Robin's chest hard enough that he could feel his ribs crack.

And Hawkgirl could _hear_ it.

"HA!"

An Nth metal mace, glowing with white energy slammed into Superboy's chest with the full strength of an enraged Thanagarian behind it. Hawkgirl landed blow after blow, forcing him back further and further away from the Boy Wonder.

With the berserk clone temporarily distracted, Aqualad took the time to check on Robin. The Boy Wonder was already unconscious by the time the Atlantean reached him and there was nothing else he could do. Standing up, Aqualad formed two massive maces out of water, not to dissimilar from Hawkgirl's own, before joining his friend's side.

"We're trying to help you." Aqualad insisted as the two faced off against him.

Hawkgirl for one was thoroughly unnerved seeing a face she was so familiar with (de-aged as it may be) staring at her without a single spark of recognition and such malice. All of a sudden, Superboy was charging at them, but this time they were ready for his advance. Despite never having fought together before, Aqualad and Hawkgirl did a decent job tag-teaming the super clone, darting in and out and trading off offensive and defensive positions.

Aqualad managed to slide behind Superboy as Hawkgirl distracted him from the front, locking his arms in a full nelson and sending waves of bio-electricity through his body. Hawkgirl was forced back so as not to receive a nasty shock herself, thus Superboy was able to manage to get the upper hand as he jumped straight up, slamming Aqualad into the ceiling. After two hits, the Atlantean was dislodged and unconscious, leaving Hawkgirl to fend for herself.

"This is the first decent fight I've had in ages." She grinned, readjusting her grip on her mace and flaring her wings a little.

Logically, she knew that she had no chance of winning this fight. Superboy had managed to take out her three fellow sidekicks in an embarrassingly short span of time, one of whom was Robin (who she admittedly, had never won a fight against him herself). But she was going to savor the feeling of a decent battle before she was inevitably taken out.

Hawkgirl had no idea how long she fought the clone, as he managed to disorient her with a few blows to the head pretty early on in the fight. Once he managed to separate her from her mace, she was done for, and soon, she joined her fellows in unconsciousness.

* * *

So, what'd you think? Comments and concerns are always welcome, as I like to know far ahead of time if I've unintentionally dug myself into a plot hole or messed up some kind of detail.

I should have the second chapter up within the next week, as I already have it about halfway finished.

Hope you have a nice day!


	2. The Great Escape

I honestly hadn't expected to get reviews so quickly, this is all kinds of awesome. Thanks to your input, I've already gone back through the first chapter and amended some mistakes as well as gotten some neat new ideas for future episodes and interactions. I'm usually not really one to respond to individual reviews, but in this case I'd like to address some questions and concerns that have been brought up.

 **Abby (Guest):** I get what you mean by the "shoehorn" thing with Hawkgirl. Honestly, when writing out the chapter that was one of my main concerns, but I do have a justification for why she seems… aloof. Thanagarians are from an inherently militaristic society. When they're on mission, their only focus is the mission. And there's little time in the first two episodes for relaxation. Hawkgirl will not be nearly as awkward and focused when she's interacting regularly, and I hope that this chapter better shows that off. Also, I totally didn't know about the Green Lantern base thing, I'll definitely have to amend that because that's too damn cool to forget! Update: Has been amended in Chapter One, thanks for the info!

 **Guest:** I'm going to be using both the Hawks' Thanagarian and Earth names interchangeably (just like Clark Kent and Kal-El). And yes, I already have a Thanagarian name in mind for Skylar. Actually, thanks to your comment, I went back and edited the first chapter so they use Thanagarian names when speaking Thanagarian or are in their 'Hawk' Personas, which really should have been an obvious mistake on my part.

 **Arianna La Fey:** Romance is a long way off (if it happens at all) and I honestly don't have a singular love interest in mind at the moment. I guess we'll see where the story takes us ; )

 **AmericanNidiot:** Some of my favorite moments in the original Justice League cartoon are the banter between Wally and Shayera, so I'm definitely going to try to mirror that here. It's too good of an opportunity to pass up, really. Especially when M'Gann gets involved and Wally gets hit with the love bug.

* * *

WASHINGTON, DC  
JULY 5th, 2010  
00:01 EDT

" _Time runs short… You must awaken… You must awaken now!"_

In one moment, the teen heroes had been near comatose and the next, they were wide awake thanks to whatever entity had spoken to them. Any attempts at movement were quickly foiled by the metal restraints pinning them behind glass like butterflies in a display case.

Skylar let out a growl of frustration as she realized she was well and truly trapped. This was among the very few moments of her existence that she bemoaned being a Thanagarian, as she could go without one very prevalent species trait right about now.

Claustrophobia.

Nearly every hawk-person had it, to a varying degree, and Ski'Lira Hol was certainly no exception to the rule. However, she'd lived long enough with it to know the best way to ward off an incoming panic attack… get _really_ goddamn angry and focus on the, admittedly dire, situation at hand.

"When I get out of here, I am going to tear this place _apart_." She mumbled, not intending to be heard as she continued to tug on the shackles, at least trying to weaken the metal. Unfortunately for her, the glass coffin amplified her voice enough to earn her a slightly alarmed look from Aqualad.

Kid Flash cleared his throat as he noticed Superboy staring at the four of them. "What, what do you want?"

He merely stared, unblinking.

That just served to further unnerve the speedster. "Stop staring, you're creeping me out!"

"Uh, KF, how about we _not_ tick off the guy that can fry us with a look?" The Boy Wonder suggested warily.

"We only sought to help you." Aqualad took the initiative in diplomacy, knowing that Kid Flash certainly wasn't going to ingratiate them to the angry clone.

"Yeah, we free you and you turn on us how's that for gra-" The speedster added, only to be swiftly interrupted by Aqualad.

"Kid, please be quiet now." His pale green eyes angled just enough to meet Kid Flash's. "I believe our new friend was not in full control of his actions."

"Well what if I- What if I wasn't?"

Skylar's eyes widened behind her helmet. The clone had just _spoken_. It was rough and unsure, yes, but he had still managed to verbally communicate with them. She was rapidly editing her view of the clone in her mind from their abysmal first impression.

"He can talk?" Kid Flash sputtered.

The incredulous tone the speedster had taken did _not_ go over well. "Yes, _he_ can."

"…Not like I said it."

"The genomorphs taught you, telepathically." Aqualad pulled the attention to himself.

"They taught me much. I can read, write, I know the names of things." Superboy seemed to actually be… amicable, towards the Atlantean. Still not completely friendly, but the disdain from speaking to Kid Flash had definitely faded.

"But have you seen them? Have they ever actually let you see the sky? Or the sun?" Robin asked.

It took a moment for the clone to answer. "Images are implanted in my mind, but, no. I have not seen them."

"Pity." Hawkgirl shook her head, earning a frosty look from Superboy. "Especially for a _Kryptonian_."

"Do you know what you are?" Aqualad pressed. "Who you are?"

With a single question, it was like a switch had been flipped in his brain. His posture stiffened, his eyes glazed over slightly, and his voice took on a slightly robotic quality. "I am the Superboy, a genomorph, a clone made from The DNA of the Superman, created to replace him should He perish, to destroy him should he turn from the light."

"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration…" Aqualad admitted. "But like Superman, you deserve a life of your own beyond that Solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus."

"I live because of Cadmus!" He exploded, hands clenching in anger. "It is my home!"

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Your home is a _test tube._ We can show you the _sun_."

"Uh, pretty sure it's after midnight, but we can show you the moon?" Wally piped up sheepishly.

"A warrior of your caliber has no place bowing to these worthless humans!" Hawkgirl shouted, simultaneously earning an eye-roll from Robin, wide eyes from Aqualad and Kid Flash, and a curious look from Superboy. "It would be a great honor to fly with you."

"We can show you, introduce you to Superman." Aqualad added.

"No, they can't. They'll be otherwise occupied." Any more attempts the teens could have made to sway the clone to their side were interrupted by the arrival of a lab coat wearing scientist with brown hair pulled into a ponytail at the base of his neck. "Activate the cloning process." He ordered, a nearby tech immediately moving to carry out the request.

"Pass. Batcave's crowded enough." Robin quipped lightly.

"And get the weapon back in its pod!"

"Hey. How come he gets to call Supey an it?" Kid Flash asked, earning a sharp glare from Robin.

Aqualad kept his pale green eyes on Superboy. "Help us."

"Don't start thinking now." Desmond interrupted their attempts once more. Skylar sneered at him, baring her teeth. "See, you're not a real boy. You're a weapon, and you belong to me! Well, to Cadmus. Same thing. Now get back to your pod!"

For a few moments, Superboy gave pause, but he reluctantly turned away. Once had left the room, the massive steel door sliding shut behind them, the tech finished booting up the cloning sequence.

From within each of the pods, syringe-like contraptions positioned themselves over the chests of the four teens.

"I'm going to tear you limb from limb, you sorry excuse for- AGH!" Hawkgirl had barely managed to shout at Desmond before she was abruptly cut off by a searing pain that forced her to cry out. Electricity surged through her entire body, primarily focused on her chest where the syringes had penetrated. She could hear her friends screaming just as loudly as she was as their DNA was forcibly sucked out of their bodies.

All of a sudden, the pain stopped.

Skylar sagged in her restraints, breathing harshly as she felt her fingers spasm without her consent. Opening her eyes, she realized that it was _Superboy_ who had saved them, tearing through the door and throwing the scientists aside like they were yesterday's garbage.

Okay, _that_ was a bit satisfying to see.

"You here to help us or fry us?" Kid Flash managed to say through gritted teeth as the clone came to a stop in front of their containment pods.

His blue eyes narrowed slightly before a smirk appeared on his face. "Huh. I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose Helping is my only option."

"We're keeping him." Hawkgirl announced.

"He's not a pet." Kid Flash replied, glancing at her.

"I let Robin keep _you_."

"… Now that was just uncalled for."

"Ah, finally!" Robin suddenly exclaimed as he dropped to the ground of his own volition, having successfully freed himself. "Lucky Batman isn't here. He'd have my head for taking so long."

"Seriously, that's what you're worried about? The whole League will have our heads after tonight!"

Ignoring his best friend for the moment, Robin turned towards Superboy after he disengaged the glass lids on their pods. "Free Aqualad, I'll get Kid Mouth and Big Bird."

"Don't you give me orders, either." Superboy growled. Nevertheless, he still jumped up onto the platform and tore away the metal restraints, Aqualad sagging into his arms.

"Thank you" The Atlantean gave him a grateful smile.

Meanwhile, Robin had managed to disengage Kid Flash's cuffs and steadied him when he dropped. Smirking, he tilted his head at the only member of their party still trapped. "Need a little help, Hawkgirl?"

That smug look on his face rankled her the wrong way, even though she knew deep down that he was most likely worried. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been trapped in a space that small for so long. Instead of directly replying using words like a normal person, she let out an indignant screech that put Superboy to shame, bodily tearing her way out of the pod and landing on all fours on the ground.

Her wings snapping out to their full height, she shook herself like a dog before Aqualad was suddenly by her side, concern shining in his eyes. She merely huffed and pulled the remains of the metal shackles off of her wrists before standing.

Now that everyone was free and clear, they all took off at a dead run towards the gaping hole Superboy had made through the door. Hawkgirl only took the smallest detour to retrieve her mace from where it had been set on an examination table, quickly rejoining the rest of the pack as Desmond started to yell after them.

"You-you'll never get out of here! I'll have you back in pods before morning!"

"That guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all." Robin muttered as he threw several birdarangs at tanks within the room, detonating them moments after impact. Just as they escaped the room, everything turned briefly orange as a conflagration sprung to life behind them.

Kid Flash took the time (despite them running for their lives), to shoot an exasperated look at Robin. "What is it with you and this whelmed thing?"

"We are still 42 levels below ground" Aqualad interrupted. "But if we can make the elevator-"

At the end of the hall, several of the colossal quadruped genomorphs swiftly cut off their path, forcing them to skid to a halt. Looking back, even more of the creatures closed off the way they had come. In their moment of distraction, the colossal genomorphs managed to reach them, and the teens barely managed to dodge out of the way.

Well, most of them dodged.

Superboy ended up crushed underneath one of its feet before he managed to throw it off of him, attacking them relentlessly with his fists.

"Superboy!" Aqualad called out as the fight started to destabilize the tunnel. "The goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here!"

"You want escape?" Superboy screamed, picking up one of the downed quadrupeds and throwing it at the remaining two, clearing their path.

Soon, Aqualad and Hawkgirl were prying open the doors of the elevator, folding the thick metal like it was cardboard. Once it was clear, the ginger speedster flashed towards the wall, perched precariously on a jutting ledge. Robin shot his grapple gun up, immediately taking off once the hook had gotten purchase. Hawkgirl flew in and up.

Superboy had grabbed Aqualad around the torso and super-jumped straight up, extending out his free had in an obvious mimic of his genetic parent. But the moment didn't last long as he started to lose his momentum, plummeting back to the ground. "I-I'm falling."

Hawkgirl dove down to try to grab them, but hadn't been able to build enough speed to do so. Luckily, Robin threw a projectile at the wall in time for Aqualad to grab it as he passed, yanking them both to a harsh halt. Superboy thanked the Atlantean for saving him quietly.

"Superman can fly. Why can't I fly?" There was a defeated note in Superboy's voice that grated Hawkgirl the wrong way, so she decided to distract him from that train of thought.

"Well, we can't all have wings." She grinned at him from her place hovering next to the two, earning herself a cold glare from the clone. She was glad that he really _didn't_ have heat vision, else her attempt at distracting him could have resulted in a couple of laser holes through her face.

"Hey, at least it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool." KF assured with a thumbs up from his place standing on the ledge.

"Guys, this will have to be our exit." Robin snapped, referring to the closed doors they were nearest to. That was as much of a suggestion that Superboy needed before he tore through the doors like they were wet tissue paper. Hawkgirl let out a low whistle of appreciation at the easy display of strength as she swooped down and through the new opening. She let out a long breath of relief as she realized they had emerged out into a hallway she could actually fly in.

They were on the move as soon as they were all out of the elevator shaft, with Superboy shouting out directions as they navigated the halls. The teen heroes followed without question… at least until they came to a dead end.

"Great directions, Supey. You trying to get us re-podded?!" Kid Flash demanded, but Superboy looked genuinely confused.

"No... I don't understand."

Something caught Robin's eyes and a wide grin spread across his face. "Don't apologize. This is perfect!"

A series of chained events occurred then with that single statement. Robin used a grapple hook to tear the metal grate off of the ventilation system, himself, Kid Flash, and Superboy jumped into the vent, Hawkgirl shouted that she was going to find another way around, Aqualad grabbed her around the waist and bodily threw her into the vent, and finally he jumped in himself to prevent the Thanagarians' escape.

"I hate this and I hate all of you." She muttered to herself, completely intending to be heard this time as she was forced to crawl forwards.

"Love you too, Hawkgirl" Robin said from the front of the pack.

"Bite me!" She shouted back.

A pointed squeeze on her ankle from Aqualad forced her to lapse into silence as they continued to traverse the vents.

"At this rate, we'll never get out." Kid Flash said, thoroughly exasperated.

Superboy suddenly froze. "Shh… Listen…"

Hawkgirl closed her eyes, quickly picking up on the sound in question. "I hear it too…"

Seconds later, the noise was quickly identified as a horde of the G-Gnomes that had followed them into the ventilation system.

H

Skylar was pointedly not making eye contact with any of her so-called 'friends' after they made managed to make it out of the vents and to an access point where Robin could do some more hacking to throw Cadmus off of their trail.

"I hacked the motion sensors." It seemed that Robin's go-to expression today was smugness.

"Sweet" KF grinned.

"Still plenty of them between us and out."

The speedster just smiled wider as he pulled his red goggles down over his eyes. "But I've finally got room to move."

"I second that." Hawkgirl agreed, finally breaking her silence from the sheer anticipation of another fight and palming her mace.

The heroes emerged out into a stairwell, with Kid Flash leading the charge and taking on the genomorphs that had gathered above them. Hawkgirl had taken the straightest route, flying in the center of the stairwell and bypassing the stairs completely. Spotting a few stragglers that Kid Flash had managed to miss on his way up, she disengaged the head of her mace from the handle and swung the spiked ball through the gaps in the stairs to pick off the last of the genomorphs.

She and Kid Flash managed to clear the way ahead for the others, while Superboy took out the stairs below them so they couldn't be followed. Considering this was their first time working as any semblance of a team, she had to say they were actually doing pretty well, despite the sheer number of unknowns surrounding them.

Hawkgirl caught up with Kid Flash just in time to hear him mutter an "Oh, crud…" as he slammed face first into a solid metal wall far thicker than the ones they had encountered before. Coming to a hover above him, she watched with some amusement as he shuffled up to a sitting position, rubbing his head.

"We're cut off from the street." Aqualad said as the others caught up mere moments after the speedster's fluke.

"Thanks. My head hadn't noticed." Wally groaned.

Aqualad and Superboy both positioned themselves on either side of the doors, trying to get enough purchase in order to pry them apart with sheer force. Hawkgirl was a ways above them, steadily whacking away at the metal with her mace, the harsh clangs making a horrific amount of noise. Though at this point, they weren't too worried about _noise_ being the thing that betrayed them.

Considering there was already a horde of genomorphs at the end of the hallway, rapidly closing in on them.

"This way!" Robin shouted, kicking open a nearby, nearly invisible, door and surging through. There were a scant few seconds of relief before they realized what was on the other side.

Guardian, standing there expressionless with the telekinetic genomorph at his side. All around them were countless droves of G-Gnomes, each one's gaze focused on their position.

The teen heroes barely had time to slip into offensive stances before they were knocked unconscious, as abrupt as a light switch being turned off.

She wasn't sure how long exactly they remained under, but the moment she had returned to consciousness, she had shaken off her grogginess and started to pounce towards the nearest genomorph, mace first. It was only a quick grab from Kid Flash that kept her from unintentionally starting a fight.

"Guardian?" Aqualad asked cautiously, seeing the man's eyes clear for the second, and final time that night.

"Go." The hero ordered. "I'll deal with Desmond."

"I think not." Said scientist chimed in, appearing at the other end of the room, the genomorphs parted for him. "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order To Cadmus." Before he could be stopped, he plunged a syringe of unknown origins into his arm.

The effects were near immediate as Desmond started to… change. Skylar was harshly reminded of one of the werewolf movies that Hal Jordan had made her watch when she was younger, during a phase where he was determined to 'properly educate her' on the matter of classic movies.

Desmond's body was expanding in ways that the human body simply wasn't meant to. Which is why when the newly changed Blockbuster stood to his full height, shreds of skin hung from his gargantuan frame.

"Everyone back!" Guardian called out as he charged towards the monster. He only managed to land a glancing blow before he was effortlessly backhanded away, but by then Superboy was already throwing punches.

Now that she had an unhindered view of the clone fight from the outside, Skylar wondered how he had managed to beat all of them so easily. He was strong and fast, yes, but his fighting was sloppy _at best_. His entire fighting strategy seemed to center on hitting things with his fists until they stopped moving.

If they managed to get out of this, she'd be damn sure to make sure that changed.

Blockbuster leapt into the air just as Superboy did the same, catching the clone around the middle and sending them both up through the ceiling… the incredibly thick ceiling., leaving a hole.

"Okay… That's one way to bust through the ceiling." Robin said.

"You think lab coat planned that?" Kid Flash asked as Robin grabbed him and grappled them through the hole and onto the next level.

Aqualad merely jumped, landing in an effortless crouch. "I doubt he is planning anything anymore." Turning back, he held out his hands to help a hovering Hawkgirl through the hole, seeing that she couldn't exactly fly her way out.

Just as Aqualad had helped her to her feet, Superboy was sent careening into the both of them, and the trio was sent tumbling backwards in an awkward heap. Skylar crawled out from beneath Aqualad, muttering a long string of Thanagarian swears under her breath.

As Blockbuster let out a roar, the five teens lined up with looks of intense focus on their faces, knowing that this wasn't going to be an easy battle. Without a single verbal cue, they took off.

Kid Flash reached Blockbuster first, sliding under his legs and disorienting the beast. Aqualad and Superboy reached him then, both colliding fists straight into his abdomen and sending him toppling over a crouched Wally.

Hawkgirl swooped down from the air as Wally sped away, slamming down her mace with two hands into his chest so hard he impacted into the ground in a shallow crater.

"Learned that one in kindergarten." Wally quipped from his temporary place off to the side.

Soon, Robin flipped over Kid Flash and threw two birdarangs at Blockbuster just before Superboy reached him, drawing him into one on one battle. His attempt didn't last long, as the clone was immediately grabbed and pined against one of the thick concrete pillars, splintering it in half. Since his hands were still free, he was still able to lash out with his fists.

Seeing that Aqualad was heading to help Superboy, Hawkgirl swooped down next to Robin and Kid Flash.

"We need a plan and fast." She said, looking pointedly at the Boy Wonder. "We haven't put a single damn scratch on him."

"I'm working on it." The bird snapped. "Keep him occupied."

"Got it."

Both she and the speedster took off towards Blockbuster, who had just managed to toss both Aqualad and Superboy aside. Wally reached him first, but didn't manage to make much of an impact before he was also thrown away.

Hawkgirl decided to take a slightly different approach in her attack, as being direct _clearly_ wasn't working. Pouring on the speed, she flew down and past Blockbuster, only dealing out a glancing blow with her mace before she tore away. The light hit had the intended effect as he honed in on her as his new target.

She came to a hover, goading him with a wiggle of her fingers and a smirk on her face. Letting out an enraged roar, Blockbuster charged towards the Thanagarian, only for her to suddenly surge upwards with a strong flap of her wings. He didn't have time to stop himself, crashing headfirst into one of the thick pillars. While he was disoriented, she took the opportunity to start reigning down blows with her mace. A few bits of his loose flesh ended up dislodged and stuck on the spikes of her mace, but she didn't care.

"Of course!" Robin suddenly exclaimed from the other side of the room. "KF! Get over here!"

Robin's call had drawn her attention away from Blockbuster for an instant, but it was enough for Blockbuster to suddenly get the upper hand.

"GAH!" Hawkgirl let out a grating screech as his meaty fist closed around one of her wings, squeezing tightly and forcing her to the ground. She could feel the bones grinding together. His other hand wrapped around her torso and she froze as a sickening realization of what he was about to do hit her.

Blockbuster pulled steadily on the wing, and the pain grew more and more intense. Just as she was sure he was about to dislocate the wing, Aqualad appeared out of nowhere and dealt out a few blocks to his knee and torso. The behemoth was forced to at least partially release her so that he could swat away the Atlantean. But then Superboy once more ingratiated himself into the fray, locking his arms around the monster's neck and Hawkgirl was finally released.

She lay panting on the ground, trying to center herself when Aqualad reached down and slung her arm over his shoulder, dragging her away from the fight.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly.

"Could be better" She said through gritted teeth. Giving an experimental flex of her wings, she winced again. She definitely wasn't going to be flying anytime soon, but at least she could still walk.

"Superboy, Aqualad! Hawkgirl!" Robin suddenly shouted, drawing their attention as Kid Flash took over distracting Blockbuster.

Once they had reached the Boy Wonder, he explained his plan quickly. "This one and those two!" He pointed.

Skylar readjusted her grip on her mace and sprinted towards the pillar that Robin had pointed at. A crackling aura of white energy formed around the head of her weapon and she swung the newly energized mace at the concrete, nearly disintegrating it.

It was a game of cat and multiple mice as they all worked to maneuver Blockbuster towards Robin's marked 'x' on the floor that Aqualad had coated in water. His tattoos glowing bright aqua, he knelt down and placed both of his palms on the floor, letting out a surge of electricity.

Blockbuster's entire body stiffened from the sudden voltage coursing through his body and he was stuck exactly where they wanted him.

"Move!" Robin ordered as the explosive birdarangs he had positioned around the room activated. A heft slab of the roof collapsed directly onto Blockbuster, while the rest of the building started to crumble around them. The teens managed to outrun most of the initial debris, but they couldn't run away fast enough.

Aqualad leapt to cover Robin, Superboy crouched over Kid Flash, and as the only one wearing any semblance of actual armor Hawkgirl merely tucked her wings in tight and braced herself.

Once the shaking had stopped and all of the detritus had settled, Aqualad and Superboy both moved the chunk of rubble that was covering them off of the teens.

"We did it…" Aqualad said.

"Was there… ever any… doubt?" Robin was panting heavily, but he still had a grin on his face. He and Kid Flash attempted a high-five, only for them both to wince.

Not wanting to miss out on the moment of bonding, Hawkgirl gave Aqualad a friendly punch on the arm. When she looked away, she didn't see him wince and surreptitiously rub at his arm.

"See? The moon." Kid Flash said, gesturing towards the white satellite in the sky. Mere moments later, the perfect image had a black silhouette appear and approach, revealing the Man of Steel himself. "Oh. And Superman. Do we keep our promises or what?"

But it wasn't _just_ Superman. The _entire Justice League_ had shown up, all of whom looked simultaneously stoic and disappointed.

But the so-called 'sidekicks' weren't one to back down so easily. They kept their expressions just as blank as Superman stood in front of them, all of their respective mentors behind him. Cautiously, Superboy made his way forwards with something akin to hope in his eyes. Silently, he pulled up his torn jumpsuit, revealing the signature 'S'.

Superman's eyes widened briefly in shock before he settled on a suspicious (and slightly angry) expression.

"Is that what I think it is?" Batman asked in a neutral tone, stepping forwards.

Kid Flash was the first one to step up and stand at Superboy's side. "He doesn't like being called an it."

"I'm... Superman's clone." Superboy announced, the Leaguers all thoroughly thrown for a loop.

Batman's eyes narrowed. "Start talking."

H

The teen heroes had been temporarily split up just long enough for them to receive basic medical attention. Green Arrow and Black Canary spearheaded the effort, treating minor lacerations and bruises. Superboy and Hawkgirl were the only one to escape their clutches. The clone didn't have a single scratch on him and hovered near Aqualad, while Hawkgirl had been dragged away by her parents when they noticed one of her wings wasn't moving properly.

Sitting down on one of the chunks of rubble, Hawkwoman was checking over her daughter's injured wing while Hawkman stood in front of her, his arms crossed.

" _Was it a good fight?"_ Hawkman growled, angling his head towards the form of Blockbuster (who was being dug out by the two Green Lanterns).

" _I'd like to think so."_ Hawkgirl replied neutrally. She could feel the concerned looks from her fellow 'sidekicks' boring into her. Wanting to assuage at least part of their fears, she glanced towards them and shot them a smile.

 _Whap!_

Hawkgirl winced as her father smacked a gauntleted hand right into the back of her helmet. " _I'm very proud of you."_

" _We both are!"_ Hawkwoman added, speaking a lot louder than she really needed to _. "But as far as the others know, you're being yelled at. Flinch, it'll make it more believable."_

Ski'Lira complied with the order, letting her eyes drift down to her lap to add even more authenticity.

" _What about Superman's boy?"_ Hawkman asked.

" _He packs a hell of a punch."_ Hawkgirl admitted. _"He managed to take down all of us. His technique needs work, but he has potential."_

" _Hm. I hope you at least got a few hits in?"_

" _Of course!"_

Hawkwoman scowled and yanked unnecessarily hard on a few of her feathers. _"That's my girl."_ Finished checking the wing, Hawkwoman moved to stand next to her husband. _"We're going to help Hal and John escort Blockbuster. Oliver's going to make sure you get home safely."_

" _Is he… alright?"_ Hawkgirl asked. _"I mean, with Roy…"_

Hawkman merely shook his head, as he honestly wasn't sure himself. The members of the League understandably hadn't gotten much time to talk since they'd gone straight from taking on Wotan to dealing with their wayward apprentices. With a jerk of his chin, he silently ordered her to return to the others, whapping her on the back of the head a second time for good measure.

"How's the head?" Wally grinned as she approached her friends.

She returned the grin and held up one of her hands. "Want to find out?"

Gulping, he paled slightly and turned away. "Nah, I think I'm good."

To Superboy's surprise, she ended up standing next to him, bumping her shoulder against his. The simple action earned her a startled look. "Hey, remember how you beat me earlier?"

"… Yes?" Superboy cautioned.

"It won't happen again. Enjoy your victory while it lasts."

H

Blockbuster had been finally removed from the rubble and the two Green Lanterns of Earth dragged him up into the sky, the two Hawks and Captain Atom following closely. Superman had finally approached Superboy, though he still didn't look happy about it.

"Well, uh-we'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean. For now, I'd better make sure they get that Blockbuster Creature squared away." Those sidekicks that knew him before all went temporarily wide-eyed at how thoroughly off guard the Man of Steel was. If his treatment of Superboy hadn't irked them so much, they'd be amused by the spectacle.

With Superman gone, Batman, Aquaman, and the Flash all approached the young heroes.

"Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels." Batman began. "But let's make one thing clear-"

"You should have called!" Flash interrupted, earning himself a glare from the Bat.

"End results aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct Orders, and endangered lives. You _will not_ be doing this again."

Setting his jaw, Aqualad took a small step forward. "I am sorry, but we will."

"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman immediately ordered.

"Apologies, my king, but no. We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do. Together on our own we forged something powerful, important." He shared a meaningful look with his comrades.

Flash sighed. "If this is about your treatment at the hall, the four of you-"

"The _five_ of us, and it's not." Kid Flash corrected, glaring at his mentor.

"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us, or why teach us at all?" Robin asked.

"Isn't this exactly the kind of thing we've been trained _for_?" Hawkgirl pointed out.

"Why let them tell us what to do?" Superboy uncrossed his arms, clearly irate. "It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way."

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
JULY 8TH, 2010  
08:04 EDT

Hawkgirl was staring at Kid Flash, or rather, she was staring at _Wally_. Despite having known him for years, she'd never actually seen him outside of his costume. At the moment, she was glad that Robin had at least stuck to his sunglasses or else she might have had some kind of conniption from 'secret identity reveal overload'.

"What?" The speedster asked, clearly uncomfortable with her look. "Is there something on my face?"

"I'm just realizing how little your mask actually disguises your identity." She deadpanned, making him blush fire engine red.

"At least I don't have a pair of massive wings sticking out of my back." He snapped back.

Ski'Lira flexed her wings for emphasis. "Touché, gingersnap."

In fact, Hawkgirl was the only one who wasn't wearing civilian clothing. Even _Aqualad_ was wearing a zip-up jacket and normal pants.

All around them, various members of the Justice League were moving equipment and doing last checks of the mountain, while Batman, Aquaman, Black Canary, Red Tornado, Hawkman, and Captain Marvel stood before them.

"This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League." Batman began. "We're calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms. Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions."

"Real missions?" Robin prodded.

"Yes, but covert."

The Flash spoke up from his place standing next to Wally. "The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests."

"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter." Aquaman continued. "Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly."

"The six of you will be that team." The Dark Knight finished, looking at them pointedly.

"Cool!" Robin exclaimed, before the implications of his mentor's words hit him. "Wait. Six?"

At that moment, two figures emerged from the nearby zeta tube. J'onn was easily recognizable, but the young female Martian at his side was a complete stranger.

"This is the Martian Manhunter's niece Miss Martian." Batman introduced.

"Hi." The red-haired Martian greeted sheepishly.

Kid Flash leaned down to whisper in Robin's ear. "Liking this gig more every minute." He started to head over to her, a broad grin on his face. "Welcome aboard. I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Aqualad, and Hawkgirl. It's cool if you forget their names."

"I'm honored to be included." Miss Martian replied sincerely as most of the teens headed over.

Hawkgirl saw that Superboy wasn't about to move of his own volition, so she rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the arm, forcefully dragging him over to the others.

"I like your t-shirt." Miss Martian said as her white shirt abruptly changed to the same black as Superboy's. Kid Flash sped over and slung on arm on Superboy's shoulder as Hawkgirl crossed her arms.

Aqualad gave a small smile as he looked at the members of his new team. "Today is the day."

* * *

I have a feeling Hawkman's version of the 'Gibb's Slap' will be a common occurrence in this story.

I hope you enjoyed the second chapter of Fight or Flight, and as always, comments, questions, and concerns are always welcome!


	3. You Twist(er) So Fine

Hey look, it's chapter three! I'd planned on having this out a lot earlier, but I got absolutely swamped with schoolwork, so this remained half-finished for a longer time than expected.

 **Guest:** So, basically Hawkgirl knows Robin. Robin, not Dick. She and the other sidekicks have interacted enough prior to the start of the story that they know each other, but without actually knowing identities. As it stands, before the identity reveals in this chapter and the previous she only knew Roy Harper's name _and_ face, Wally's first name only (and no face), and she doesn't know either Robin's name or face. I really hope that clears things up?

 **AmericanNidiot:** You know what? I think I'm definitely going to make Hawkgirl hunting down Wally a thing. Same with Hawkgirl hitting Superboy with her mace. There is no fear like a Thanagarian scorned, after all.

And now, we get to see some domestic Hawk family as well as some attempted team building!

EDIT ON 8/21/2019: Rewrote a passing comment about Sky's feathers being waterlogged so it doesn't clash with Robin's comments in chapter eight about how her wings are water resistant. This has been nagging me for awhile.

* * *

ST. ROCH, LOUISIANA  
JULY 18TH, 2010  
09:35 EDT

Wrinkling her nose, she stared down her own reflection. Narrowing her dark blue eyes and scowling, she abruptly stuck out her tongue at her mirror image and smiled, revealing pearly white teeth. Satisfied with her improvised staring contest for the moment, she started to meticulously section out her dark brown hair and twist it into a neat braid.

Barely anyone who had seen her put her fist through a brick wall while wearing full Thanagarian armor would associate the sixteen year old girl making faces at the mirror with Hawkgirl.

But at the moment, she was Skylar Hall. Or Ski'Lira Hol, depending on who she was talking to. Her parents used her Thanagarian name the most when they were speaking their native language, while her Earth name had encroached heavily on their regular vocabulary mostly thanks to Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen.

Honestly, she didn't care which one they used, because they were both _her_.

"Skylar Hall!" Her father suddenly shouted from the floor below. "Get down here before I eat your share of breakfast!"

The threat of missing her favorite meal of the day was enough to spur her into action. Tying off her braid with a hair tie, she threw open the door of her room and practically skipped down the stairs, using her wings to give herself a boost. Soon enough, she had sped into the kitchen like a bat out of hell and claimed a spot at the table across from her father.

When the two were side by side, the resemblance was clear. She may have inherited most of her physical features from her mother, but her coloring was all from her father. Their brown hair was the same shade, as were their eyes. Even their wings were close in color, albeit hers were a bit darker and she had inherited Shayera's two-tone markings. Carter's own wings were pulled in close to his back so he could comfortably sit on the kitchen chair without letting the feathery tips touch the ground.

Taking a massive bite of her toast, she glared at him defiantly as he smirked over the newspaper he was reading.

"Where's _da'mi_?" Skylar asked, mouth still full.

Carter didn't even bat an eye at her poor table manners. He'd seen his daughter tear at a steak like a rabid hyena before. This was _nothing_. "A few artifacts were lost in transport for the new exhibit, so she went in early. We're hoping that they just ended up in the wrong boxes in the shipment."

"It's the Darwin exhibit, right?" At a confirming nod, she continued. "Will it delay the opening?"

Carter shook his head. "Probably not. So, what do you have planned today?"

"Going to the cave today. Robin said something about trying to get Red Tornado to give us a mission." Skylar answered. She found her mind drifting to the previous night, a scowl subconsciously forming on her face.

"Judging by that look on your face, your attempt at talking to Roy didn't go well."

Skylar's fist tightened and she just barely resisted the urge to slam it on the table. Instead, she just took another angry bite of toast, only answering after swallowing. "He said we were a _joke_."

"Aren't you?"

She narrowed her eyes at her father. "No."

"Then why are you taking what he says to heart?" Carter pointed out.

Rolling her eyes, her anger started to fade as she settled in to finish her breakfast. "Do you think Roy will ever respect our decision?"

"I don't know. It's his choice where he wants his life as a hero to lead, just as you and the others made your own choice in deciding to stay together." He finally set down his paper, meeting her eyes. "It seems like you've found your _kast_ quicker than expected. You're growing up so fast, fledgling."

" _Ta'me…"_ She groaned, finishing up the last of her breakfast in a few bites. "I'm going to head out now, get a fly in before heading to the cave." Standing up from her chair, she put her plate in the sink and vanished out of the room.

"Don't forget your mask!" Carter called out as he picked his newspaper back up again.

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
JULY 18TH, 2010  
11:16 EDT

When she'd finally arrived at the mountain, she was immediately subject to curious stares from the only two other members of her new team that were present. Miss Martian's eyes had gone a little wide, but she maintained her silence, as she was still wary of the Thanagarian.

Superboy was not nearly as subtle. "What's with the mask?"

Tilting her head slightly to the side, Skylar just looked at him for a few moments before deigning it not worth it to answer. Instead, she moved to stand next to Miss Martian in front of the holographic screens as they waited for the others to show up.

While they waited in near complete silence, Skylar took a moment to compare how different she and the Martian girl seemed to fall on the 'aliens blending into Earth culture' spectrum. Miss Martian was clearly making an effort to seem as human as possible (apart from the green skin), dressed in a skirt and cardigan that almost made her want to throw up from pink overload. Skylar on the other hand was in a ratty grey halter top, torn jeans, and dusty combat boots with her wings proudly spread behind her.

Not to mention the Nth metal mace hanging from her belt and the cloth mask that was currently hiding the upper half of her face.

It was a simple affair, comprised of faded yellow fabric with black eye markings and a white mesh that obscured her eyes, but not her vision.

The first time Hal Jordan had seen her wear it, he'd called her 'Iron Fist' for the entire afternoon and refused to explain why.

Aqualad had shown up a few minutes later just as casually dressed as they were, offering sincere greetings and pleasantries to break the awkward silence, at least until the rest of the team arrived.

The abrupt whirring from the nearby zeta tube drew their attention as a familiar computerized voice announced the appearance of the missing teen heroes.

" _Recognized: Robin, B01; Kid Flash B03"_

"Did you ask him?" Those were the first words out of Robin's mouth as he and Kid Flash ran up to the others.

"What did he say?" Wally asked.

"He's arriving now." Aqualad sounded genuinely amused at their enthusiasm.

"Then what are we _waiting_ for?!"

H

Skylar allowed a smile to creep onto her face as the group emerged out into the sunlight via the exterior entrance to Mount Justice. She could both hear and see the gulls circling around the coast and her wings stretched out a little at the thought of joining them in flight. There were only two reasons why she wasn't just taking off right now. One, she wanted to hear what Red Tornado was going to say and two, she'd taken a long enough flight earlier to get the urge out of her system.

Speaking of flying, Red Tornado came into view, descending via a red blurred cyclone obscuring his lower half.

"Red Tornado!" The speedster called out.

"Greetings." Red Tornado droned. "Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?"

"We hoped you had a mission for us." Aqualad offered.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."

"But it's been over a week, and nothing-"

Red Tornado abruptly cut Robin off. "You'll be tested soon enough." The android assured. "For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club." Aqualad pointed out, his amicable expression fading into frustration.

"No" The Leaguer admitted. "But I am told social interaction is an important team-building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave." Before they could protest further, Red Tornado walked away from the group of teens entirely, heading down into the cave.

"Keep busy" Kid Flash mocked under his breath.

Robin was equally as incredulous. "Does he think we're falling for this?"

Miss Martian abruptly brightened, turning towards Red Tornado's retreating form. "Oh, I'll find out!" The only indication she was actually doing anything was a slight narrowing of her eyes.

" _Recognized: Red Tornado, 1-6_." The computer intoned as Red Tornado was scanned by blue lights emitting from either side of the wide hallway.

Sighing, Miss Martian's shoulders relaxed slightly. "I'm sorry. I forgot he's a machine, inorganic. I cannot read his mind."

"Nice try, though. So, uh, you know what I'm thinkin' right now?" Kid Flash asked, grinning at the Martian girl as he leaned in closer to her.

"We all know what you're thinking now." Smacking him hard in the back with an elbow, Robin scowled at his best friend's antics.

"Ow." The speedster groaned, rubbing at the new sore spot.

Aqualad's head dipped slightly in resignation. "And now we tour the clubhouse."

"Well, Superboy and I live here." Miss Martian pointed out, trying her best to bring some levity to the situation. "We can play tour guides."

"Don't look at me." Superboy denied as he suddenly became the new center of attention.

"We won't." Wally assured, smiling at Miss Martian again. "A private tour sounds much more fun."

"Sh-she never said private." Robin stammered slightly.

"Team building. We'll all go." Aqualad suggested. Hawkgirl resisted the urge to clap him on the back in pride as they followed Miss Martian into the mountain.

"Unh!" Wally was suddenly tugged backwards by Robin. Not one to miss out on an opportunity, Hawkgirl stuck out her leg at just the right moment so he went sprawling onto the ground instead of catching himself. Shooting him a smirk, Hawkgirl merely walked past him as he picked himself up.

"Mean." Kid Flash muttered to himself as he dusted a few blades of grass from his pants.

H

"So this would be our front door and this would be the back. The cave is actually the entire mountain." Miss Martian acted as the primary tour guide, especially since Superboy definitely wasn't going to be offering any of his own input.

"It was hollowed out and reinforced By Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League." Kid Flash added.

"Then why abandon it for the hall of justice?" Superboy asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"The cave's secret location was compromised." Aqualad explained.

"Four years ago, Joker managed to get in." Hawkgirl elaborated. The only reason why the event was fixed into her mind was because Joker had managed to pawn off nearly a dozen alien artifacts he and his goons had stolen and her parents had spent weeks personally hunting them all down.

"So they traded it in for a tourist trap?" Superboy scoffed. "Yeah. That makes sense."

The story only seemed to make Miss Martian panic. "If villains know of the cave, we must be on constant alert!"

Robin reached out and grabbed Miss Martian's hand reassuringly, bringing the group to a stop. "The bad guys know we know they know about the place, so they'd never think to look here."

Wally snatched Robin's hand away, making the Boy Wonder's comforting smile turn into a glower.

"Uh, he means we're hiding in plain sight." Kid Flash simplified.

"Ah, that's much clearer." Miss Martian's panicked look faded.

Superboy's nose suddenly wrinkled and his lifted his face slightly. "I smell smoke."

Miss Martian gasped. "My cookies!" Flying off into the hallway, the others followed her at a slightly more sedate pace. Just as they reached what could only be the kitchen, she was pulling a metal pan of burned lumps of what were _supposed_ to be cookies out of the oven. "I was trying out Grammy Jones' recipe from episode seventeen of – " Seeing their looks, she cut herself off. "Never mind."

"I bet they'd have tasted great." Robin snorted, gesturing towards Kid Flash. "He doesn't seem to mind."

Wally froze mid-bite already having stuffed two of the charred confections into his mouth. "I have a serious metabolism." He explained with an embarrassed mumble,

"I'll make more?" Miss Martian offered.

"It was sweet of you to make any." Aqualad pointed out.

"Thanks, Aqualad"

"We're off duty." He replied. "Call me Kaldur'ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur."

"I'm Wally." The speedster introduced himself. "See? I already trust you with my secret ID. Unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here. Batman's forbidden Boy Wonder from telling anyone his real name. Not to mention the masked menace." Respectively, Robin put his hands on his hips and glared at Wally, while Skylar looked up from where she had been scribbling on the countertop with one of the burned cookies to bare her teeth threateningly.

Once Hawkgirl felt he was sufficiently terrified of her, she returned to her writing. The burned cookies made a surprisingly good stand in for charcoal sticks.

"Mine's no secret. It's M'gann M'orzz. Like, you can call me Megan. It's an Earth name, and I'm on Earth now." She beamed as she turned to face Hawkgirl. "What about you? Do you have an Earth name?"

"Yes." Hawkgirl answered without looking up from her graffiti.

"And?"

"Don't bother, she won't tell you." Robin interrupted. "Or her real name, for that matter."

M'Gann seemed a bit put out by the information. "But… Surely there is no harm?"

The Thanagarian paused mid-scratch. Snorting, she shook her head slightly to the side, muttering something that sounded that sounded roughly like 'vapid Martian teen', but they couldn't be certain. Clearing her throat, she didn't look up from her improvised act of vandalism as she spoke loud enough to be heard overtly. "I won't be telling you my real name."

"May I… May I ask why not?"

"Not important, since I'm not telling you my name." She smirked to herself. That earned her a fist bump from Robin.

Superboy seemed to have enough of the conversation at the moment, despite the minor amount of amusement coming from the clash between alien societal customs. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he started to amble his way out of the kitchen.

The next thing the others knew, the Cadmus clone was whirling around with a livid expression on his face and glaring at M'Gann. "Get out of my head!"

" **What's wrong? I don't understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically."**

The cookie that Skylar had in her hand was abruptly crushed into dust as the voice reverberated around her head so loud it was painful. She'd heard J'onn speak in her head before, but that hadn't been nearly as… intrusive as this was.

"M'Gann, stop!" Aqualad shouted, freeing all of them from the telepathic feedback. "Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy."

"Besides, Cadmus' creepy little psychic genomes left a bad taste in his brain." Wally added pointedly.

"I-I didn't mean to…" M'Gann stammered.

"Just stay out." Superboy growled, shooting her one last, hate-filled glare before leaving the immediate area and plopping himself down on the bright green couch in the corner, steadfastly ignoring everyone.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group as the non-telepaths recovered from the sudden mental intrusion. Skylar looked at her companions before taking it upon herself to break the tension.

"If you really find restraining yourself so unnatural, you can read my mind if you like." She offered, earning a startled look from the Martian girl. The others seemed surprised that she out of all of them would be the first to even contemplate such an action.

Ski'Lira knew what it was like, being an alien on a planet so intrinsically different from their own. Sure, every single one of the teens had something that set them apart drastically from the rest of Earth society, but she and M'Gann were the ones that had the closest origins. Kaldur came close, but he was still born on this planet and could return to Atlantis any time he wanted with a trip through the zeta tube.

She may not exactly consider M'Gann a _friend_ , but if she was going to be stuck with the girl as a teammate, she was at least willing to extend the smallest of olive branches.

M'Gann opened and closed her mouth for a few moments, not quite sure how to respond. She ended up blushing and averting her eyes away from her. "Uncle J'onn told me I'm not allowed to look in your mind..."

"Good call." Wally nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Frowning, Ski'Lira's eyes narrowed dangerously at M'Gann, mentally burning the olive branch. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Robin spoke up. "Hawkgirl, really. Kinda obvious."

She didn't reply, instead waiting for him to clarify his statement.

"What were you thinking about before we met with Red Tornado?"

Skylar was fully prepared to argue with the Boy Wonder, until she remembered she had been trying to figure out if a dismembered Martian's limbs still retained their shifted form.

"… Fair enough." The Thanagarian admitted with a slight tilt of her head, angling herself slightly to face M'Gann. "I take my offer back. You should stay out for your own wellbeing."

M'Gann gulped nervously, giving a small nod of acknowledgement. The awkwardness came back in full and beyond as no one knew quite how to go from there. After a few moment's consideration, M'Gann hit herself in the forehead. "Hello, Megan! I know what we can do!" A beaming smile on her face, she took off flying through the halls again.

Sharing a look, the remaining teens followed her back out of the kitchen, all quite curious about what the Martian had in store now. Before she left the kitchen completely, Hawkgirl gave a last passing glance at her improvised art on the stainless steel countertop. To the others, it probably looked like a half-thought out amalgamation of experimental chicken scratch and designs. But any Thanagarian would have been able to read the message as clear as day.

 _Ski'Lira Hol was here._

H

Honestly, the end goal was kind of a disappointment. Sitting innocuously in the middle of the hangar was a purplish-red blob with black markings.

"It's my Martian bioship!" M'Gann explained proudly.

"Cute." Wally commented. "Not aerodynamic, but cute."

M'Gann couldn't help but laugh before correcting him. "It's at rest, silly. I'll wake it." With a wave of her hand, the blob changed and expanded out into a relatively small spaceship. The rest of the team members were taken aback by the sudden change.

Well, all but one.

Skylar merely rolled her eyes, completely unfazed. The others thought that this dinky little thing was _impressive_? Though she supposed she couldn't fault them completely for their lack of interstellar education.

"Well, are you coming?" M'Gann prompted from the ramp of the ship.

Once the entire group had filed in, M'Gann took a place at the helm while the door sealed behind them. Robin and Wally immediately flocked to a couple of seats, while Superboy, Hawkgirl, and Aqualad were a little more subdued.

"Strap in for launch" M'Gann said, still grinning.

Aqualad took a seat at the front of the ship in the very middle, with Superboy off to his right. Hawkgirl drifted towards the spot to his left, but she didn't sit down immediately. Frowning, she gave the chair a moment's consideration before shifting the position of her wings slightly and sitting down. With a bit more wiggling, she managed to find a position that was relatively comfortable.

A few moments later, she moved to stand up. "I've changed my mind. I'd prefer to fly on my own power, thank you."

"Scaredy cat" Robin mocked from his place, knowing that goading Hawkgirl would probably be the only thing that'd keep her from bolting.

Shooting him an unimpressed look, she settled back down in her seat and glared at the console in front of her as the straps crept over her shoulders and fastened themselves.

"Red Tornado, please open the bay doors." M'Gann asked, her hands positioned in front of her as the ship veritably burst into life, hovering above the ground. Soon, the ship had burst out into the sunlight and took off into the sky, disappearing high enough to deter any potential sightings from citizens down below.

"Incredible" Robin was leaning as far forward in his seat as he could. If his eyes weren't covered, the others would have been able to see his eyes widened as far as they could from sheer awe.

Wally, of course, broke the moment. Sighing, he was gazing at the resident Martian with hearts in his green eyes. "She sure is." Once attention was on him, he immediately blushed bright red and started to stammer out an excuse. "I-I mean the ship, which, like all ships, is a she."

"Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth."

"Dude!"

Meanwhile at the front of the ship, Hawkgirl was resisting the urge to snort from Wally's clear failure. Trying to suppress her amusement, she turned her attention towards Aqualad and Superboy.

"I may not have psychic powers, but I can guess what you're thinking. You overreacted, and you don't know how to apologize. Just say sorry." Aqualad suggested quietly.

"He'll come around." Robin said from the back of the ship. Hawkgirl gave a moment's thought to stuffing her ears with her fingers to try to stem the flow of heartfelt advice and encouragements.

"He doesn't seem to like me much." M'Gann admitted.

"You guys remember he has super hearing, right?" Kid Flash pointed out.

"He's not the only one." Hawkgirl added, only adding to the tension.

It seemed to be a common thread today, as Hawkgirl was starkly reminded that for the most part, they were a loose conglomeration of near strangers. Sure, she counted Robin and Kid Flash as friends, and Aqualad was quickly approaching that title too, but Superboy and Miss Martian were still relative unknowns. And not only did they not know her, she didn't know them. Really, they all barely knew anything about each other besides their powers and some basic personality traits. She'd been dubious and slightly angry before at Red Tornado's insistence on team bonding, but at this moment she realized that they _needed_ it.

Mostly so they would find enough common ground so they wouldn't end up killing each clear at the end of the day.

"Hey" Robin piped up, trying to diffuse the tension before it had time to set in this time. "How 'bout showing us a little Martian shape-shifting?"

The redheaded Martian complied with a smile, standing up from her pilot's seat. With an exertion of will, her skin and clothes rippled and changed until a female version of Robin stood before them. As easily as breathing, she shifted into a flawed mirror image of Hawkgirl. The flaw came from the distinct lack of wings, a sight that sent a shudder down the Thanagarian's spine and made her fingers curl tightly into fists. M'Gann saved a female Kid Flash for last.

"Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?" Wally asked.

"Impressive" Robin clapped, steadfastly ignoring the speedster's comment. "But you know you're not exactly gonna fool anyone with those."

M'Gann grinned, slightly sheepish. "Mimicking boys is a lot harder."

"And your clothes?" Aqualad sounded genuinely curious.

"They're organic, like the ship. They respond to my mental commands."

"As long as they're the only ones." Superboy muttered just loud enough for them to hear.

"Can you do that ghosting through walls thing that Manhunter does?" Apparently M'Gann had become the shiny new toy, judging by the rapid-fire nature of the boys' inquiries.

"Density shifting?" M'Gann corrected Wally. "No. I-it's a very advanced technique."

"Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall." Robin suddenly interrupted, laughing slightly. "When he tries it, bloody nose."

"Dude!"

"Here's something I can do. Camouflage mode." At first glance, nothing happened, but a look outside the windows confirmed that the exterior of the ship had disappeared from the naked eye. Only the slightest distortion gave away the presence of the ship.

"Red Tornado to Miss Martian." The sudden call from the intercom ruined any more chances at amicable conversation that could have taken place. "An emergency alert has been triggered At the Happy Harbor power plant. I suggest you investigate covertly. I'm sending coordinates."

"Received." M'Gann confirmed, all of them sobering quickly at the news. "Adjusting course."

Robin was the first to comment. "Tornado's keeping us busy again."

"Well, a simple fire led you to Superboy. We should find out what caused the alert."

"I think I know the cause." Superboy said, drawing their attention out of the view screen.

In short, a completely out of place tornado was tearing its way through a warehouse, catching the bioship within its cyclonic winds and sending it careening off course. Civilian workers below were screaming as they desperately scrambled to safety. M'Gann managed to regain control over the ship and righted it long enough for them to drop out and onto the ground, battle ready.

"Robin, are tornadoes common to New England?" Aqualad asked. When no response came, he looked back at his teammates to see their youngest member missing. "Robin?"

"He was just here." M'Gann sounded genuinely perturbed.

Hawkgirl merely rolled her eyes and shifted her grip on her mace. "He does that." She managed to pinpoint his location quickly, thanks to a combination of superior hearing and a well-timed eerie cackle from Robin that gave away his position. Without another word, she took off towards the nearest warehouse at a dead sprint, not caring if the others deigned it necessary to follow.

She could already tell that whatever was going on, wasn't going to be fun for anyone.

Skidding to a halt at the wide entrance, Hawkgirl (and the others close behind her) arrived just in time to see Robin thrown against a wall, unintentionally letting out a short cry on impact.

The source of the attack was a monstrous metal man, far taller than any of them. Red and blue metal made up a majority of his body, with massive hands that had glowing blue tubes attaching at key points. An out of place, ragged scrap of cloth was wrapped around the lower half of his face like a makeshift scarf.

A quick glance at her companions confirmed in Hawkgirl's mind that this guy was new to the villain game, as none of them clearly recognized him.

"Who's your new friend?" Superboy asked.

"Didn't catch his name, but he plays kinda rough." Robin snapped back as he clambered back to his feet.

None of them had expected the new villain to actually _respond_.

"My apologies. You may address me as Mr. Twister." The attempt at exchanging pleasantries was immediately ruined as he sent out a miniature cyclone that tossed Superboy away like he was made of paper.

Not ones to be idle, Kid Flash pulled his goggles over his eyes and sped forward as Hawkgirl flapped her wings once to launch herself in the air, diving in from above while the speedster engaged him on the ground. A second before she was about to slam her spiked mace into his metal head as hard as she could, Skylar realized she'd made a vital miscalculation in her avenue of attack.

Twin concentrated blasts of wind from Mister Twister's hand cannons sent both of them careening out of the warehouse. Wally ended up skidding into the ground, digging a deep furrow with his body and landing among a copse of trees. Hawkgirl was shot diagonally, the wind catching her wings and sending her far above the warehouse. Normally, she would have been able to recover easily, but it just so happened she'd been launched straight into a thermal and she lost complete control of her trajectory.

Every curse she knew poured out of her lips in a low growl, both in English and in Thanagarian, as she tried to force her wings back into cooperation. The moment that she'd ground Mister Twister into dust, she was going to one, make sure that her parents never found out about this, and two, drill solo flying maneuvers until she passed out from exhaustion.

By the time she finally managed to break away from the strong winds and fly back down towards the warehouse, Mister Twister had emerged outside and was about to catch Wally in a cyclone. However, quick intervention from M'Gann managed to save him.

Readjusting her trajectory, she touched down lightly on the ground next to the rest of the team once the winds had cleared enough.

"I would have thought you had all learned your limitations by now." Mister Twister intoned, sounding amused by their attempts more than anything else.

"What do you want?!" Aqualad demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?" Mister Twister asked as he rose effortlessly up into the air, shouting down at them. "I'm waiting for a real hero." With that, he took off. It was only a warning touch from Aqualad on her shoulder that kept Hawkgirl from flying after him. She had been a step away from taking off, but she reluctantly stood down.

"Read his mind. Find a weakness."

The Martian girl looked genuinely confused by the request. "I thought I wasn't supposed to do that."

"It's ok with the bad guys!" Robin's arms flew up in the air as he yelled at her, just as irked with the situation as the rest of them. The 'real hero' comment had hit them all pretty hard.

"Nothing." M'Gann admitted after a moment. "I'm getting nothing." Suddenly, her face lit up and she hit herself in the head. "Hello, Megan! Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise! He's inorganic, an android. And how many androids do you know that can generate tornados?"

"Red Tornado sent us here." Aqualad said slowly, pointing out the obvious.

"After saying we'd be tested soon enough." Robin realized, his incredulity at M'Gann's statement quickly melting into a scowl. "This is his test, something to keep us busy."

"Speedy called it. We're a joke." Wally spat.

"Unh!" Slamming his hands together, Aqualad let out a growl of frustration. Meanwhile, Hawkgirl was still actively resisting the urge to fly up to 'Mister Twister' and figure out if it was possible to strangle him with that stupid scarf.

"This game, so over." Kid Flash said as they all moved to a position where they could more easily yell at Red Tornado.

"We know who you are and what you want!" Robin started.

"So let's end this." Aqualad added.

The android examined them emotionlessly for a few moments. "Consider it ended."

Their attention was drawn upwards as the sunny, blue skies started to darken. A veritable maelstrom of angry storm clouds formed above them, spinning in an ominous way. The wind was whipping at them harshly, sending debris flying all around them. Hawkgirl felt her wings being forcibly tugged backwards from the strength of the gale. Just as the pressure started to become painful, she tucked her wings in tight to her back.

"An impressive show, but we will not indulge you." Shouting over the gale, Aqualad took the initiative in continuing to call out the android. "We will not engage."

"Uh… Can Red Tornado do that?" Wally asked sheepishly.

It was Mister Twister that answered for them. "You think I'm Tornado? Ironic."

The teens all screamed as a massive lightning strike hit the ground dangerously close to them. One moment they were upright and the next, they were all sprawled out on the ground in varying states of consciousness. Ski'Lira's vision was graying in and out and her extremities had gone numb for the moment. If Nth metal was conductive, she'd probably be in a lot worse of shape. As it stood, she wasn't completely fried for her choice in weapon.

Through her fluctuating vision, she was barely able to make out Superboy recovering from the initial strike and leap up at the android, fist poised and letting out an impressive war cry. But before he could reach the android, he was struck down by a second bolt of lightning. His body lay in an impact crater not far from the rest of them. From the way he angled his hands, it was clear he was about to let loose a final bolt that would surely be their end… only to pause.

"Fine, then. I won't deny you children have power." Mister Twister admitted. "But playing hide-and-seek with you would not help me achieve my objectives, so stay concealed. If you confront me again, I will show no mercy." With that, he flew off, leaving the team to wonder at what could have possibly driven him off.

"What happened?" Wally asked as they all started to rise.

Shaking her head slightly to rid her vision of the last of the fuzziness, Hawkgirl finally noticed the slight distortion just as M'Gann de-cloaked the bioship.

"I placed the bioship between us." M'Gann explained.

Superboy let out a growl of frustration before decimating a nearby rock with a single punch. "And that's supposed to make it right?! You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado!"

Aqualad immediately leapt to the young girl's defense as he saw the crestfallen look on her green face. "She didn't do it on purpose."

"I-it was a rookie mistake." Robin retorted. "We shouldn't have listened." He sounded more disappointed in himself than M'Gann.

"You are pretty inexperienced. Hit the showers. We'll take it from here." Kid Flash added.

"Stay out of our way." Superboy agreed.

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Hawkgirl decided to be the last in the chain of insults. "Have you ever actually seen battle outside of a screen? Pitiful."

With that scathing remark, Hawkgirl took off with a powerful surge of her wings, Robin, Kid Flash, and Superboy following as they left to pursue Mister Twister.

H

Chaos had descended on Happy Harbor. With the arrival of evening came a wave of weather-induced destruction and mayhem. Whirlwinds targeted civilians, harsh gales threatened to overturn cars, and people desperately tried to run for safety, screaming for help. Homes were steadily being obliterated by miniature cyclones, as boats from the nearby marina were pulled up into the sky and were thrown onto the ground like meteorites. Within the eye of the storm was Mister Twister, who watched the spectacle with something akin to satisfaction.

"Certainly this will get the required attention."

"You got ours, full and undivided!" Kid Flash appeared out of seemingly nowhere, speeding towards the android and lashing out with a momentum-enhanced kick. The sheer force sent Mister Twister skidding backwards.

"Immaterial and insufficient! You are a distraction I can no longer tolerate." As he leveled his hands at the red haired speedster to unleash a blast of wind to drive him back, a sudden shout from above drew his attention.

Superboy dropped from the sky, landing just in front of Mister Twister. The action forced the android even further backwards, only to drive him straight into Hawkgirl's mace.

A sharp satisfied grin appeared on the Thanagarian's face as she felt her mace dig into the metal man's body. But her victory was short lived as he whirled around an arm, letting out a massive blast of wind that caught her wings and sent her flying backwards.

Hawkgirl didn't lose complete control this time, but she was still driven far enough back that she'd been temporarily knocked out of the fight. As Aqualad and Robin jumped over one of the parked cars, Mister Twister threw a _boat_ at Superboy, crushing him underneath the fiberglass hull. Letting out a frustrated huff, she realized that she wasn't going to be of much help if she kept floating away like an errant balloon. Touching down on the ground, she snapped her wings as tight to her spine as she possibly could

Aqualad and Robin managed to dodge a twister sent their way. Aqualad merely dodged just far enough to avoid being swept away while still making a straight course for the android. Robin on the other hand veered completely away, heading for cover. Just as the Atlantean had managed to get close enough to Twister to hit him, another cyclone grabbed him and he was sent flying. His landing was far from pleasant as he ended up crashing into the second story of a nearby house.

Skylar winced in sympathy as she kept running. Kid Flash had taken over the fight, drawing Mister Twister into a bizarre version of cat and mouse, giving the others enough time to step in. Robin was throwing explosive birdarangs at twisters to dispel them.

Letting out a war cry, Hawkgirl managed to slam her mace once into his metal knee and once into his abdomen before Superboy fell from above once again to try to deal a few hits of his own. But he missed.

Mister Twister took advantage of the moment to summon a massive cyclone that threw Superboy high up into the sky. Simultaneously, he lashed out with a leg and kicked Hawkgirl away. She ended up skidding across the pavement and came close to falling in the nearby harbor. It was only thanks to a last moment grab at the lip of the pier that she didn't take an unexpected dip.

Just as she had about a third of her body back on solid concrete, she saw Superboy fall into the rubble of the house where Aqualad had landed earlier and proceed to be crushed by a second boat.

What the hell was it with Superboy and boats today?

Aqualad picked up the engine from the destroyed boat and threw it at Mister Twister, only for it to be deflected by a small cyclone. Hawkgirl was almost back onto solid land when a sudden blast of telepathic interference startled her into letting go.

M'Gann's message reached her just as she fell into the cold waters below.

" **Listen to me. All of you."**

"What did we tell you?" Superboy shouted.

" **I know, and I know I messed up, but now I'm very clear on what we need to do. Please trust me."**

H

"Get back! Everyone clear the area!" One of the members of the Happy Harbor Police Department ordered, desperately trying to divert the citizens away from the current villain rampage.

From the sky came a savior in red and gold, as Red Tornado descended, dropping down next to the teens. One of said teens was a soaked to the bone and _very_ pissed off Thanagarian. The only consolation that she had was that her feathers weren't soaked through (thanks to a quirk of genetics that meant Thanagarian feathers didn't absorb liquid, similar to Terran waterfowl).

"Hit the showers, boys... and girl." The Justice League member ordered. "I was hoping you could handle this. Clearly you cannot."

"But we've got a plan now." Robin piped up.

"The subject is not up for debate."

The young heroes left at a sedate and resigned pace, leaving Red Tornado to deal with Mister Twister on his own.

"I was beginning to believe you'd never show up."

"I'm here now."

The two androids engaged in a battle that was frankly, lackluster. A small cyclone from one was quickly canceled by the other, and neither made a move to physically engage their opponent.

"We are evenly matched, Twister."

"No, Tornado, we are not."

That was all the warning received before a bolt of lightning hit Red Tornado. Once the smoke and light had faded, the android was sprawled unceremoniously on the ground.

"Remain still, android. The reprogramming won't take long." Mister Twister said as tendrils emerged from his hand and latched onto the hero's metal face.

Then said metal face morphed into a familiar, fleshy green face. "Longer than you might think." M'Gann grinned.

The twister that "Red Tornado" had formed abruptly stopped, revealing Kid Flash. Superboy launched himself at Mister Twister, pounding at him mercilessly and driving him away from M'Gann.

Smirking, Hawkgirl slid her foot backwards to properly anchor herself and swung her mace straight into Mister Twister's torso full strength, sending him flying back into the water of the harbor. While Aqualad dealt with him, Kid Flash sped up to Hawkgirl.

"Home run!" He cheered, high-fiving her.

Aqualad managed to toss the android up and out of the water where M'Gann caught him with her telekinesis. With a push of power, his remaining arm was blown off and Robin tossed several explosive birdarangs at the metal torso. The armless wonder dropped to the ground, thoroughly defeated.

To their surprise, the front of the android abruptly cracked open. Unceremoniously, a mousy looking many wearing a gaudy green and white jumpsuit tumbled out and onto the pavement.

"No!" He squeaked, following shortly by a groan of pain. "Foul. I-I call foul!"

Snapping out a hand, M'Gann took telekinetic control over a nearby boulder. Seeing her intention, Aqualad lunged toward her with a command to stop, but it was too late. The man's body was crushed underneath the massive rock.

"Don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth, we don't execute our captives!" Robin shouted as he moved in front of M'Gann, glaring harshly at her.

"On Thanagar-" Wally clapped a hand over Skylar's mouth before she could finished that statement, instinctually knowing it wouldn't help in this situation.

"You said you trust me." The Martian said easily, nonplussed. Lifting up the rock revealed not the gory remains of a human, but an amalgamation of shattered electronics. "That's why I couldn't read his mind."

Kid Flash released Skylar and darted over before Hawkgirl could kill him, picking up a miraculously intact metal eye. "Cool. Souvenir." Turning to the team, he slyly glanced at Hawkgirl who was scowling at him. "Now, we should towel off the soggy duckling before she gets even grumpier."

Her eyes narrowed behind her mask. " _What_ did you just call me?"

"Would you prefer waterlogged swan?"

Kid Flash let out a sound that roughly sounded liked 'meep' as Hawkgirl lunged towards him. In order to preserve his life, he ducked to hide behind Superboy, who looked thoroughly unamused at being used as a shield.

"We should have had more faith in you." Aqualad said, his eyes brimming with apology.

"Yeah. You rocked this mission. Get it? Rocked. Heh. _Meep!_ " The speedster folded in even more behind Superboy as Skylar almost grabbed him.

"Ignore him. We're all just turbed you're on the team." Robin assured.

"Heh. Thanks. Me, too."

Abandoning her prey for the moment, Hawkgirl walked up to the Martian and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "You aren't as pathetic as I thought. Participating in battle with you is no longer as shameful as it once was."

"… Thank you?"

H

In the depths of the mountain, the members of the newly formed team of 'sidekicks' gathered around a metal slab-like table, where the body of the android lay positioned in shattered pieces. It was almost like a strange, macabre parody of an autopsy. Red Tornado stood at the head of the table.

"It was clearly created to sabotage or destroy you." Aqualad said, his tone grim.

"Agreed." Red Tornado replied immediately.

"Is that why you wouldn't help us?" Miss Martian asked.

"No." If he were human, Red Tornado probably would have been shaking his head. "This was your battle. I do not believe it is my role to solve your problems for you. Nor should you solve mine for me."

"But if you're in danger – "

"Consider this matter closed."

Kid Flash scoffed as the android took his leave, intent on heading towards the nearby Zeta tube. "Batman, Aquaman, and Flash, They'd have jumped right in to fix things."

"Guess if we're gonna have a baby sitter a heartless machine is exactly what we need." Robin said.

"Dude! Harsh."

"And inaccurate." Red Tornado corrected, making the two boys blanch. "I have a heart, Carbon-steel alloy. I also have excellent hearing."

"Heh. Right. Sorry. I'll strive to be more accurate." The Boy Wonder apologized sheepishly.

"And more respectful." Aqualad added as he leant down and put a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Speedy was so wrong." Kid Flash said after a moment's silence.

"This team thing…" Robin said.

Aqualad smiled, finishing the sentence for him. "Might just work out."

Hawkgirl watched the exchange with a small, sincere smile on her face, a smile that only grew when she heard Superboy quietly apologizing to M'Gann. She couldn't help but think that maybe her _ta'me_ had been right after all. As it stood… maybe having these people as her _kast_ wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Thanagarian Words of the Day:

Kast – A group of warriors, their version of a company or a squad

Da'mi – Mom

Ta'me – Dad

Next time on Fight or Flight, expect the first original chapter, wherein we'll explore Hawkgirl's shrouded origins! And by shrouded, I mean mostly fluffy adorable interactions with a tiny Thanagarian and Leaguers who are irresponsible caretakers.

Unfortunately, there was no conceivable way I was going to have 'Secrets' posted by Halloween, nor am I going to make you wait a whole year just for a neat little holiday line up (if all goes as planned), so instead enjoy this short drabble for the holiday!

H

"Who gave Wally free reign on his movie pick?" Artemis groaned, closing her eyes and lightly hitting the back of her head against the couch.

No one else on the team took the blame, instead just sitting in silence and trying not to be accused.

"I'll have you know that Saw is a pinnacle of horror movie fun." Wally pouted as he settled down onto the ground next to Robin.

"Why couldn't we just have watched another Disney movie?" The archer argued back. "Most of the team still haven't seen all of them."

"Variety is key to a proper movie education."

Heads swiveled to face Hawkgirl, who was perched carefully on the arm of Kaldur's chair. At the sudden attention, she blinked twice. "What?"

"Since when are you a movie buff?" Robin accused, looking downright amused.

"I'm not. Green Lantern is." She corrected.

"Wait, which one?" Zatanna asked. "Jordan or Stewart?"

"Yes."

"As I was _saying_ " Interrupted the speedster before they could be derailed any further. "I thought it was important to make sure that our teammates were well rounded in their movie repertoire."

"So you chose _Saw_ " Robin clarified.

"Shut up."

An hour into the film, the only ones that were looking the least bit squeamish were M'Gann and Superboy. The others had been so desensitized over their years of crime fighting that the movie did little to faze them. However, the one thing that did give them pause was when they started to pick up a strange scratching noise that didn't coincide with the film.

Wally took the initiative to pause the movie so they could locate the source of the sound. In the near silence, it was easily identified.

"Hawkgirl… Are… Are you _taking notes_?" Artemis' eyes were wide.

The Thanagarian slowly looked up from the small notebook she had pulled from _somewhere_ to see horrified looks. "… No?"

It was so quiet that they could have heard a pin drop. At least, the humans without enhanced hearing could, since those with super hearing could anyway.

"I vote we change movies." Wally squeaked, immediately earning a chorus of agreements. After a quick vote, ten minutes later Saw had been switched out for Aladdin.

When Robin volunteered to head to the kitchen for a popcorn refill, Hawkgirl grinned as she felt him slip the five bucks he owed her. Satisfied with a job well done, she settled back against the couch with a grin on her face. Not to mention, now she had some _great_ new ideas to try out in the future.


	4. Arrival to Earth

**Guest:** Oh, that's where the confusion came from! Damn, I hadn't even caught that I accidentally name dropped Wayne. Well, I've officially gone back and fixed that, because that was definitely a mistake. That was a remnant from the first draft of this story wherein Hawkgirl did know Robin's secret identity, but that is no longer a thing. Thanks for clarifying! Also, a M'Gann/Ski'Lira pairing would be pretty interesting, but it probably won't happen in the main story. Maybe it'd make a good oneshot?

 **AmericanNidiot:** Ooh, the fight with Clayface is going to brutal, that's for sure. Especially since the whole fight's in a sewer, a notoriously confined space. Also, not gonna lie, I got the HawkFlash feels a little too from reading your review.

 **PrettyKitty Luvs U:** Thanks! Shayera's always been one of my favorites and I hope that I'm doing her offspring justice.

 **Arianna Le Fay:** I'm glad you're enjoying the story! As far as romance goes, I'm still uncertain as to who exactly would be a good match for Skylar, but I guess we'll see. At the very least, maybe the different pairings would make good oneshot fodder? I could definitely see myself writing a 'What If' story wherein our poor Boy Wonder has to confront the Hawk parents… And Batsy of course.

 **Guest:** I'm glad you liked Domestic Hawk Family. There will certainly be a lot more of that. Especially in this chapter.

 **TheShapeshifter100** : I'm glad you liked the little Saw extra. And as far as Artemis goes… we'll it'll be an interesting dynamic that's for sure. I've already got some plans laid out for them.

 **Sit Back and Live Life:** Thanks! I can assure that back handed compliments will be common… especially when she's talking with Wally.

 **Hissing Hornet:** After a long time waiting for a good Thanagarian-based YJ fic, I decided to just write my own. Sometimes you just have to buckle down and do it yourself : ).

Nearly all of the intricacies of Thanagarian society came straight from my brain, mostly because the planet has very little actually information described about it other than little tidbits such as " _a war-like world—there one must strike first or die._ ", from the Justice League animated series and the existence of the 'Hawk Police' from the original Hawkman comics. That means that all Thanagarian words or phrases used in this fic are also completely falsified by myself, so if there's any resemblance to any words from any actual language, that's because a cursory screening on Google Translate failed me.

More author's notes after the chapter!

* * *

Ski'Lira Hol had started to compose a list of facts about herself nearly from the moment she was able to understand complex sentences and was capable of basic problem solving. Facts were good, facts were nearly always unchanging. Facts could be _depended_ upon. Thanagarians dabbled very little with fantasies or unproved theories. Their complete lack of any kind of mythology was certainly proof of that. Civilizations on other planets put their faith in things that couldn't be proven, but not Thanagarians.

As of her ninth birthday, her list went as follows.

One, her name was Ski'Lira Hol, daughter of Katar Hol and Shayera Hol.

Two, her father was one of the Wingmen of the Hawk Police and her mother was a lieutenant in the Thanagarian Military, specializing in infiltration.

Three, her birth was both considered a gift and an inconvenience. Her mother had fallen pregnant with her while she was still on active duty and was forced on leave until she was born. However, both of her parents were still required to work despite the newest addition to the Hol family. It was a far more common occurrence on Thanagar than one would think. That's just what happened when you lived in an inherently militaristic society.

Four, while her parents were sent to a planet called Earth to track down an escaped criminal, Ski'Lira was temporarily adopted by her mother's cousin and her wife. Maye and Tildi were both long retired and had no children of their own, so they devoted all of their time to the raising and educating of Shayera's daughter.

Five, her parents had found a home on Earth, and after several long hearings from the Thanagarian High Council, were allowed to remain on planet. From what she understood, it was because Earth seemed a focal point for extraterrestrial and multi-dimensional threats. Since their new home was so far away, Ski'Lira was lucky to receive a visit at least once a year.

Six, she wanted to be just like her parents when she grew up. She wanted to be a strong warrior, one who wasn't afraid of anything or anyone. That revelation made her wholly dedicated to her studies.

Seven, when she turned nine, her parents were going to take her to Earth. In order to prepare her for the change, her parents had compiled a lesson plan for her themselves. By day, she would be go to her standard lessons with other Thanagarian children, while in the evenings and on her days off she would self-study. Thus, Earth languages (namely English, Mandarin, and Arabic, as those were the three languages her parents spoke), history, and other basic lessons were steadily ingrained into her mind.

Eight, Earth was _weird_ and she had no idea how her parents expected her to live there. Children apparently spent most of their time on 'playgrounds' where they weren't allowed to fight others at all and were closely supervised by parents to make sure they wouldn't hurt themselves. How else were they supposed to learn?

Nine, she'd be leaving with her parents tomorrow morning, saying goodbye to Maye and Tildi and moving to live on a whole new world.

Ten, she'd _never_ admit that she was scared about leaving Thanagar.

H

Waiting at a secluded part of Thanagar for the Boom Tube that would spirit her away to Earth, Ski'Lira was tightly holding onto both one of Maye and one of Tildi's hands. She knew that this would be the last time she would see them in person for… a long time. When she'd asked whether she'd be able to visit or not, Maye had diverted her attention away from the topic. She was only nine, but she knew that meant visits were either unlikely, or few and far between.

Precisely on time (as Boom Tube travel was highly regulated on Thanagar, and even the most minor of delays could be an arrest-worthy offense), there was a burst of percussive sound and an accompanying tunnel of light formed before them. Calmly stepping out of the tunnel were two, instantly recognizable people. Both of her parents were in their full armor, recently polished she guessed from the sheer gleam on the gold tinted Nth metal. Even once the Boom Tube had snapped shut and the unnatural light was gone, they still shined from the Thanagarian sun.

Despite her wariness at leaving Thanagar, Ski'Lira couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. The moment her hands were released from her surrogate guardians' grips, she was tearing across the space and launching herself at her father.

Katar crouched down and grabbed her just before impact, picking her up carefully to avoid accidentally hurting her with his clawed gauntlets. Once she was comfortably perched on his hip, she threw her arms around his neck. " _I missed you, Ta'me!"_

" _I've missed you more, fledgling."_ He immediately replied, tightening his grip on her just a tad more. His smile was broad and sincere, and though she couldn't see it, his eyes were sparkling behind the lenses of his mask.

" _Look how much you've grown!"_ Shayera moved to stand close, running a hand across her daughter's tiny wings and straightening a few errant feathers. Satisfied, she tugged on Ski'Lira's braided hair, making the girl giggle. _"Soon you will be too heavy even for Ta'me to carry."_

" _Never, Da'mi!"_

At that declaration, she burrowed herself further into Katar's arms, inadvertently head-butting him in the jaw. He let out a soft grunt from the unexpected hit, but didn't flinch in the slightest. Maye and Tildi wandered over, both smiling softly at the scene.

When Maye stood next to Shayera, the familial resemblance between the two was clear. They both shared the same vibrant red hair and even had a similar shape to their jaws. After a tight hug and a few heartfelt greetings, Shayera inclined her head towards where Ski'Lira was chattering about her Earth lessons with her father. " _Ta'me and Da'mi, hm?"_ She questioned. _"Last time we spoke, we were both still Ya'ti_."

" _She picked them herself, I had no interference. I can assure you."_ Maye insisted. _"She spent weeks trying to pick proper titles for you both, she had a list written out, and justifications for each selection. It was pretty adorable."_

" _That is… nice to hear. Katar and I were both certain she wouldn't change them until we'd lived on Earth for some time…"_ Shayera trailed off.

" _She's going to be fine."_ Tildi spoke up, smiling wide, trying her best to assure the woman. _"You all are. Ski'Lira is strong and adaptable. She's definitely inherited that from the both of you."_

" _Ski'Lira has the both of you to thank for raising her well in our absence."_ Katar corrected, wordlessly handing Ski'Lira off to Shayera, who set her down next to her. The young Thanagarian girl immediately latched onto her hand. Clapping a hand on Tildi's shoulder, Katar inclined his head slightly as a show of respect. _"You will always have our thanks for that."_

" _We love her just as much as you do."_ Maye said, winding her arm around her wife's waist and tugging her close to her side. _"I will always be honored to be Ski'Lira Hol's Da'my."_

" _I as well."_ Tildi agreed.

Shayera nodded and ran her free hand through her daughter's hair. _"Ski'Lira, have you said your goodbyes?"_

" _Yes, Da'mi. Before we left the house."_ Ski'Lira nodded, flashing a last smile at Maye and Tildi.

" _I wish we could stay longer, but our time is limited."_ Shayera apologized, making meeting her cousin's eyes.

" _We will stay in contact."_ Maye replied. _"And make sure to send as many pictures as you can."_

" _We promise."_ Glancing at a nearby timepiece proudly displayed on the nearest building, Katar reached down and grabbed Ski'Lira around the waist and once again pulled her up into his arms.

H

After landing, she'd been momentarily confused as they emerged into a dark, dingy building. Blue eyes wide, she was nearly stunned into silence by the sudden change from the shining beauty of her home to that of a building that was clearly abandoned and in need of serious repair work. Her confusion only grew as she noticed a man was standing before them in the strangest outfit she'd ever seen.

The close-fitting cloth completely covered his body from head to toe, alternating between bright red and yellow. Completing the look was a green cape situated around his shoulders.

"Have a nice trip?" The man asked, grinning at the Thanagarians. His gaze lingered for a moment on Skylar and he sent a small wave her way. Unsure, she returned the gesture, making his smile widen.

"It was fine." Katar grumbled back. "Shorter than we'd like, but regulations are strict."

"Thanks again for your help, Scott" Shayera spoke up.

The man nodded. "It was no trouble, really."

"We'll find some way to pay you back." The male Thanagarian offered.

Scott tilted his head to the side thoughtfully for a moment. "I think that a private tour of your museum's archives might be a worthy price, Carter."

"Consider it done. Feel free to bring Barda along, we've got a few new sets of weaponry in she might be interested in."

"I'm sure she'll love to. Well, I'm sure you want to get the kiddo home, so I'll let you head out." The master escape artist turned his masked eyes towards said child. "Welcome to Earth"

After a pointed jostle from her father, Ski'Lira's mouth opened and she spoke her first words of English on her new planet. "Thank you"

The brightly-colored hero (who she was quietly informed by her mother was named 'Mister Miracle') left with a swirl of his cape, disappearing from the dilapidated warehouse that had acted as the waypoint for the Boom Tube. Without any more ceremony, her father moved her so she was plastered against his back with her small arms wrapped around his neck. The two Thanagarians took off, rising up out of the building via a large hole in the roof and into the evening sky. Ski'Lira couldn't help the loud whoop of joy as she was returned to her preferred element, despite being so far from home. Her tiny wings were fluttering from her happiness, her downy feathers catching in the wind and fluttering.

Before today, she had spent months worrying and fretting about exchanging an entire _planet_ for another. Despite all of the years spent prepping her for this very occurrence, she was still wholly unprepared for such a change. But it was at that moment, mere minutes after she'd first landed on this planet, tearing through the sky illuminated in pinks, yellows, oranges, and purples with her _Da'mi_ and _Ta'me_ that she thought that living on Earth might not be so bad after all.

H

On the way, her _da'mi_ had shouted out an explanation of where they were going, as well as a short history. She soaked up the information with interest. Apparently, the Hol family had settled on a beachside home in a city called St. Roch in a state known as Louisiana. The city in question was connected to a much larger and far more well-known place called New Orleans.

The house that the Hols had bought and renovated themselves was secluded, giving the Thanagarians free reign of the skies over the beach and the sea. Once, the house had apparently been the abode of a lighthouse keeper, but the lighthouse itself had long since crumbled away and fallen into the waters below. During the course of the renovations, they'd set up a room just for her, all in preparation for her inevitable arrival to Earth.

When Shayera pointed out the house to her once they were close enough, Ski'Lira lifted up her head enough to see it for herself. It was… quaint, she guessed would be the word for it. The house itself was pretty big, all gray stone brick with dark blue roofing. She recognized a couple of Earth vehicles parked outside of the house itself, though she couldn't quite recall the names of them at the moment.

"Oh damn it all to hell …" Katar groaned he set down in front of the house, coming to an elegant landing. "I thought I told him to come _alone_!"

"We should have seen this coming." Shayera agreed with a slight shake of her head, but once she caught sight of her daughter's inquisitive and slightly worried look, she smiled reassuringly. "We asked one of our _kast_ to stop by to help you settle in. We thought introducing you to a native Terran familiar with Thanagarian customs first would be best… But it seems he didn't come alone."

Before Ski'Lira could ask, the front door was thrown open, the light from inside spilling out and illuminating the Thanagarian trio. "I'd like to point out that I technically _did_ come alone." The speaker was a brown-haired and equally brown-eyed man wearing a dark jacket with some kind of fur on the collar and a few patches scattered on it. Despite the easy-going smile on his face, Ski'Lira was still uneasy. "And then Ollie managed to track me down here."

"Hey, at least I'm making dinner!" A second man shouted from within. He poked his head out into the hallway just long enough to reveal blonde hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. 'Ollie' disappeared back into the depths of the house.

"He did bring steak." The first man offered sheepishly as he stepped back, allowing the Hols to step into their own house.

Katar pulled Ski'Lira off of his shoulders while Shayera headed down the hall. "As long as he doesn't traumatize my daughter, he can stay. Speaking of which… Ski'Lira, this is Hal Jordan."

"Hal Jordan" Ski'Lira parroted immediately, satisfied when she earned a head nod of approval on the correct pronunciation from him.

" _It's an honor to meet you, daughter of my friends and fellow warriors._ " Hal crouched down in front of her and held his hand out, palm facing sideways and elbow bent. To any earth-native, it would have looked like he was about to partake in an arm wrestling competition.

Ski'Lira's eyes widened as she mirrored the gesture, clasping her hand around his and squeezing as tightly as she could. Her small wings flared out behind her, stretched to nearly their full, albeit meager, span. Hal grimaced a little as he felt the bones in his hand grind together, but returned the pressure. " _You speak Thanagarian?"_

"Not quite, sweetheart" Hal apologized as they both released their grips and she folded her wings back to their normal resting place. "It's just the ring." He waggled his hand pointedly, showing off the gleaming carved emerald ring on his finger.

The Thanagarian girl's blue eyes widened even further, if that was possible. " _You're a Green Lantern?!"_ Her voice was practically a screech as she whirled to glare up at her father. _"You are kast with a Green Lantern and you didn't tell me?!"_

"It's nice to meet a fan." Hal quipped lightly as Katar looked thoroughly amused.

" _We thought it would make a nice surprise."_ Ruffling her hair, her ire faded a little bit in favor of refocusing her attention on the Green Lantern before her. _"I'm sure Hal would love to answer any questions you have. You two talk here while I make sure Shayera isn't going to kill Oliver."_

"Good luck with that. I'll stay here and chat with my biggest fan."

H

When her parents had summoned her and Hal Jordan to the kitchen, Ski'Lira had been visibly disappointed as her line of questioning had been cut short. He'd been in the middle of telling her about a near-disastrous event that had occurred during boot camp shortly after his initiation into the corps. As he led her into the kitchen, she was a little taken aback as she realized her parents had both changed into Earth-casual clothing.

However, her attention was drawn fairly quickly away from that jarring image as Ollie crouched down in front of her.

"Well hi there. Aren't you just the cutest little thing? You definitely got your dad's eyes… and your mom's wings, though they're _much_ cuter than hers." His grin was wide, showing off his perfectly straight and pearly white teeth. "My name's Oliver Queen, but you can call me Ollie."

"Hello, Ollie" She responded politely, the simple word slipping easily out of her mouth after hours being drilled on proper Earth greetings and the situations in which they were appropriate. However, his nickname did come out far harsher than one would normally hear.

"How do you like it here so far?" He asked. "I know it must be really weird, coming from a whole new planet and all."

"Not bad" Her response was immediate. "Better than I… hoped." She explained. This was her first time having a full English conversation with a native speaker. Out of those languages she was being taught, English was definitely her worst of the three, despite knowing it was the one she would be speaking most often. If they'd been speaking Arabic or Mandarin, her sentences would have been far less labored. "Pretty sky."

"That it is. So, what's your name? I don't want to have to call you 'kiddo' all the time."

"Her name is Ski'Lira Hol." Shayera interrupted, taking that burden off of her daughter's shoulders.

"Sk-" Oliver suddenly found Hal's hand clamped tightly over his mouth.

"Oliver, I _explicitly_ warned you." Hal reminded as he slowly drew his hand away. "Non-Thanagarians aren't allowed to speak Thanagarian names aloud unless given permission."

"Oh…" The archer started to redden from embarrassment. "And if I were to hypothetically also forget why that's taboo…?"

The Green Lantern sighed harshly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Oliver, what happened to the 'Dealing with Thanagarians' cheat sheet I made you?"

"… I lost it."

"… Why are you like this?" After another harsh sigh, Hal shot a look that screamed 'Can you believe this?' at the young Thanagarian girl, making her smile and alleviating some of her discomfort from the situation. " _Because_ most Thanagarian names are practically impossible to pronounce by humans. Shayera and Katar's are exceptions, and even then Katar is just barely on that line. And mispronouncing someone's name is highly offensive on Thanagar."

" _Oh_ …" Oliver's blue eyes were wide as he turned towards Ski'Lira. "I am _so_ sorry. I uh…"

"He's an idiot." Hal filled in.

"Yes, _thank you_." Oliver rolled his eyes. "Have you picked out a more… Earth-y name for her?"

"No." Katar answered swiftly from where he was helping his wife set the table.

"Well… If you're up for suggestions…" Oliver shrugged. "What about Skylar? It was… _kind of_ close to that name I'm not supposed to say out loud."

"Skylar. Really?" Hal's eyebrow rose slightly. "You couldn't have picked _anything_ better?"

"I kind of like it." Shayera suddenly admitted. "It's got a nice double-meaning. And Oliver's correct, it is the _closest_ Earth approximation of Ski-Lira."

"Barely" Katar grumbled, not seeming too happy with the choice, but apparently deciding to let it slide.

"What do you think?" Hal knew that there was only one person's opinion of the nickname that really mattered.

Chewing on her lip for a moment, Ski'Lira tried out the name for herself. "Skylar. Skylar."

"Skylar Hall" Shayera tacked on their modified last name.

"Skylar Hall… It is… different." Nodding, she turned to Oliver. Personally, she still felt that the name felt odd, but that it was something she could potentially become used to. Though, she'd have to ask what her _da'mi_ meant when she said the name had a double meaning. "My name is Skylar."

* * *

This chapter was _hard_ to finish, mostly due to unexpected delays from a variety of events. Well, now we've got the origin of the name Skylar, as well as Hawkwoman subtly revealing a love of puns (trust me, Ski'Lira's not going to be happy when she finds out). I hoped you enjoyed the bits of life on Thanagar, and I promise this won't be the last we'll see of Maye and Tildi. Just as a quick explanation (or at least the promise of one later), the bits about Ski'Lira 'picking proper titles' for her parents will be explained in length two or three chapters from now.

As always, questions, comments, and concerns are always welcome, and a virtual pat on the back for anyone who can name the hero that was the first to greet the Hawks when they returned from Thanagar!

In honor of the holiday season (and as an apology for making you wait a longer than expected period of time for the next installment of Flight or Flight), here is another holiday-themed drabble. I know the holidays are technically over, but I wrote this bit about a week and a half ago. So… I guess 'Twas the season?

Oh, and Happy New Year!

H

Wally West was honestly, and truly surprised. When M'Gann had succumbed to a bad case of 'Holiday Fever' once December had rolled around, he'd expected the holiday to turn into a complete disaster for one singular reason. The Martian teen had decided that in order to be 'Fully Inclusive' to all of their members, they'd be mixing together traditions. Of course, this was a very thoughtful idea on her part and was a nice gesture to make them all feel at home. They'd ended up skipping over the last holiday season entirely, thanks to the mission at Haly's Circus and the subsequent debacle with the Justice League's temporary mind control at the hands of Vandal Savage.

As of yet, things had been going well. In the week leading up to the twenty fifth of December, M'Gann had thoroughly interviewed each member of the team so they could contribute a tradition for what she was referring to as 'Holiday Day'. Not very creative on her part, but it was practical at least. Wally had been the one to suggest the traditional holiday meal, and had goaded his Aunt Iris into preparing enough for the Team (with his help, of course).

Robin had taken care of all the decorations. Apparently Wayne Manor had more than enough surplus to make the cave a little more festive. He ended up roping Connor into helping him put up both the tree, the garland, and any and all lights as he knew the clone would be lost as to what to suggest. He was still learning, after all. Connor himself was greatly relieved having that pressure taken off of him and found himself starting to enjoy the 'Holiday Day' preparations more than he had before.

Artemis was the one to suggest spending time playing out in the snow, having snowball fights, making snow angels and snowmen, anything and everything they could think of.

Raquel and Zatanna had teamed up to bake Christmas cookies, decorating them to look like the team. And thanks to Zatanna's magic, the cookie versions of them had mock fights on the metal pans that resulted in a fair amount of crumbs and snapped off confectionary limbs. Skylar was the most amused by the spectacle.

The humans' traditions had been the easiest to incorporate into 'Holiday Day', but M'Gann was not one to be dissuaded by the difficulty of combining drastically different cultures. She herself had provided traditional Martian songs that were sung for their equivalent of a winter holiday. Even though the tonality was strange, it was surprisingly pleasant to listen to her sing as she puttered around the Cave, helping wherever she could in the others' endeavors.

Aqualad offered to tell stories of Atlantis, in lieu of the more 'traditional' Christmas stories. He told tales of powerful warriors and mages, as well as stories of great beasts and mysteries that had never been solved. It was far better than merely watching a holiday special on the television (thought they did end up watching _The Muppet Christmas Carol_ after continuous nagging on Wally, Artemis, Zatanna, and Rocket's parts)

And naturally, Skylar was the sticking point. Whenever M'Gann had pestered her about Thanagarian traditions, Skylar had replied with the same response every time.

"No."

It was succinct, but effective.

Wally had actually been keeping a tally of how many times that Skylar had given her terse, monosyllabic answer and sent a disappointed M'Gann on her way. It was up to fourteen now by the time 'Holiday Day' actually came about.

In the morning, they'd all awoken around the same time to gather around the painstakingly decorated tree and exchange presents. Wrapping paper was everywhere, and at this point each one of them was engrossed in admiring their new presents.

Grinning broadly, Wally turned to see how the others were reacting. Everyone was in similar states of joy… apart from Skylar. His smile fell just slightly as he saw that she had carefully piled up her presents next to her, having barely touched any of them, and was staring at the others blankly.

Scooting through the piles of wrapping paper, he ended up sitting across from her. "Santa didn't give you what you wanted?"

Skylar frowned a little. "Santa isn't real."

Green eyes widening, Wally pressed a hand to his chest feigning a fatal wound. "How dare you?! How dare you imply that Santa isn't real?!"

"I'm not implying, I'm stating." She said.

"Buzzkill" Wally muttered. "You know, if you'd offered your own traditions, maybe you'd… I don't know… Have a little more fun?" He offered pointedly.

Skylar scowled at him. "I am trying. I… opened the presents, didn't I?"

"Yes you did." Robin suddenly chimed in, plopping down next to her from seemingly nowhere. "And I'm very proud of you. You're making progress. Just last year, you probably would have burned these." Grabbing the dark blue knit cap that was a gift from Zatanna off the top of the pile, he pulled it down over her head.

"What?" M'Gann sounded genuinely startled at the comment, and just like that, everyone's attention was focused on the conversation. "Burned them?"

"Thanagar's a whole different planet." Robin replied with a smirk, dodging a slap upside the head from Skylar. "Very different."

Finally, Wally remembered something he _really_ shouldn't have forgotten, considering how shocked he'd been when he'd first learned about the fact. "Thanagarians don't have holidays."

"They _what_?" Artemis sounded just as shocked as the speedster himself had been years ago when he'd first been introduced to that little tidbit.

Skylar nodded, and gave him a look of mild appreciation for the comment. Before she could be questioned, she cleared her throat and elaborated. "We don't celebrate holidays, only success in battle. And gifts are… given for far different reasons than merely it being… a certain day."

"What kind of reasons?" Zatanna asked, genuinely curious.

Reaching up, the Thanagarian adjusted her hat slightly. "Military valor is most common, also there's the age milestone gifts, and… well…" She coughed slightly, her cheeks reddening. "Courting."

A slightly awkward silence settled over the group. Wanting to divert attention away from the mildly embarrassed Thanagarian, Robin suggested they eat breakfast before heading outside to play in the snow.

Later that day, after they were thoroughly exhausted from spending a long time outside frolicking in the snow (thought Wally would _never_ admit that's the word he used to mentally describe what was one of the most brutal snowball fights he'd ever experienced in his life)… They gathered back inside to spend a final few minutes together before they'd be leaving to join their own families.

Wally made sure to grab Skylar before she headed towards the Zeta Tube, as he'd had an idea before to at least bring her a little joy this Holiday Day and hadn't had a chance to yet.

"What is it, Wally?" She asked as he dragged her into the kitchen, where they were alone.

Smiling, he spread his arms out wide. "Hit me."

Blinking twice in surprise, her mouth opened and shut once as she tried to compute that. "I'm sorry?"

"Hit me. Hard as you can. Wherever you want."

"… Can I ask why?"

His smile turned a bit sheepish. "Well, you celebrate by fighting, right? And I _know_ you've been wanting to get me with a good solid hit for _ages_. So… Consider this an extra present in tandem with that book I gave you."

"You _want_ me to hit you?" She clarified. "As hard as I can, wherever I want…?"

"Yes. Now, get on with it. The suspense is killing me." Clenching his eyes shut, he waited for the inevitable blow.

But it didn't come.

He tensed a little, thinking she was just trying to psych him out, keeping his eyes firmly shut.

That's when a pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around him and drew him into a tight hug. Eyes popping open in surprise, he was too stunned to hug back for a moment. Skylar was actually _hugging_ him. Once the shock had faded, his own arms snaked around her and he returned the embrace. Her wings curled around the two of them, acting almost like a feathery cocoon. After a minute or so, Skylar broke off the hug, beaming brightly.

"Thank you, Wally. And sorry."

"Sorry?" He asked, puzzled. "Sorry for what?"

"This." And _that's_ when she sucker punched him in the gut, sending him falling to the floor and curling into a fetal position. _That_ was going to leave a bruise.

"… I hate you so much."

"Sure you do. Besides, you offered." She swept out of the kitchen, still beaming. "Happy Holiday Day"

Wally let out a low whine and curled up even further, sincerely regretting his choice of gift.


	5. Why Would You Trust Bane? Ever?

**To All My Lovely Reviewers en Masse:** Thank you all for your reviews! They are very much appreciated, as not only have the compliments been nice, but feedback has helped me mold this into a far better story. If not for all of you, there would at least be a few plot holes, so once again, thank you! Your input about possible pairings and such have been heartily thought over. Once I manage to write a few more chapters of this story, I'm planning on making a separate story as a dumping ground for oneshots. Pairings not seen in the main story, nonsensical drabbles, events that don't belong in the main storyline and the like will end up there!

 **Disclaimer:** Hey look, one of these things! I do not own Young Justice. Only Ski'Lira and the nuances of Thanagarian culture I'm fabricating for this fanfiction and the associated original characters.

And to clarify, Hawkgirl is sixteen years old, only a month or so younger than Aqualad.

* * *

CARIBBEAN SEA  
JUNE 22ND, 2010  
20:08 ECT

A steady silence had settled over the occupants of the bioship about an hour away from their destination, and it had yet to lift. In anticipation for their first officially sanctioned mission, the members of the team had fallen into either quiet contemplation or nervous rumination. Ski'Lira was firmly in the category of the former. Thanagarian warriors did not panic before a battle, or at least never allowed others to see it.

"We're approaching Santa Prisca." M'Gann announced, though none of the members of the team made an outward sign of acknowledgement.

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
EARLIER THAT DAY

"Isla Santa Prisca" Batman began, facing the massive holomap of the island in question in the depths of Mount Justice. The members of the still relatively new team were scattered behind him with rapt attention, and Red Tornado stood next to the Dark Knight mutely, allowing him full control of the briefing. "This island nation is the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neosteroid… a strength enhancing drug sold under the street name 'Venom.' Infrared heat signatures indicate their factory is still operating at full capacity, but all shipments of Venom have been inexplicably cut off… That's where this team comes in. This is a covert recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene, it will. The plan requires two drop zones."

At his word, two glowing red points appeared on the map of the island.

"So who's in charge?" Robin interrupted.

There was a pause as Batman and Red Tornado shared a short look. Turning back to his protégé, Batman provided a succinct answer. "Work that out between you."

Robin merely smirked.

H

ISLA SANTA PRISCA  
PRESENT

"Drop Zone A in 30" M'Gann said, drawing everyone's attention once more. Hawkgirl's spine stiffened slightly in preparation of their inevitable landing.

Aqualad was the only one to stand, his chair melting away into the floor. Pressing his fingers to his belt buckle, the red hue of his uniform abruptly faded to black, activating the stealth mode. "Ready"

"Putting bioship in camouflage mode."

The occupants of the ship caught sight of the signature rippling across the exterior as it started to reflect the night sky around them. The Atlantean cast a last glance around at the other members of his team before he dropped down through the newly opened hole in the floor beneath him.

Tracking his path through the windscreen, Ski'Lira watched as he dropped in a graceful dive to the sea below, entering the water with barely a splash.

Hawkgirl's hands curled and uncurled into fists in anticipation as they neared the second drop zone, the clawed ends of her gauntlets clicking softly. They didn't have long to wait before Aqualad's voice piped through their comm units.

"Heat and motion sensors are patched." He said tersely. "Data is now on a continuous loop. Move in."

Miss Martian gave the slightest tilt of her head at the order before manipulating the console in front of her, bringing the ship to a stop. "Drop Zone B" The rest of the chairs melted away, forcing the members of the team to stand. At another wordless command, two organic cords with attached carabiners dropped out of the roof. Both Robin and Kid Flash reached up and grabbed them, clipping them to their belts.

Kid Flash took the moment to activate his own stealth mode, the yellow turning into a dark grey. "How cool is this?" He struck a little pose, flashing a smile at M'Gann.

"Very impressive" She replied with a small grin, before forcing her clothes to change into similar darker colors.

"Uh… That works too…" Clearing his throat slightly, the speedster turned to Superboy. "Hey, Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech."

Superboy scowled, a typical expression from him. "No capes, no tights." He gave a pointed look at Kid Flash's suit. "No offense."

"It totally works for you…" M'Gann said, a near wistful tone in her voice. There was a beat before she realized what she had just said, and quickly scrambled to cover up the mistake. "…In that you can totally do good work in those clothes." Turning away from him, she spoke to Hawkgirl instead. "Aren't you going to change?"

Hawkgirl blinked a couple of times in surprise at being addressed, the gesture hidden behind the lenses of her helmet. "Why would I change?"

"You're costume's a little… flashy… for a covert op in the jungle." Kid Flash deadpanned. "Gold isn't a stealthy color."

Although she was completely familiar with her own armor, she couldn't help the reflexive glance to look down at herself. The armor itself was mostly similar to her mother's signature red and black armor, though her shirt didn't have the cutout Hawkwoman's did and she wore pants instead of a skirt. Clawed golden gauntlets fitted tightly to her forearms as well as spaulders of the same colored metal betrayed her father's influence on her armor. Fitted tightly over her face was a mask modeled after her mother's, though it was forged with solid gold metal and the point of the nose was longer and more curved. The gleaming silver Nth metal mace dangling from her belt certainly didn't help matters.

Ski'Lira, however, was unperturbed by the speedster's comment. "I am perfectly capable of remaining unseen and unheard in armor. I have been thoroughly trained to compensate."

"Okay… then…?"

M'Gann suddenly grew noticeably flustered again as Superboy glanced her way. Pulling her hood up and over her face and turned invisible.

H

Kid Flash and Robin were the first ones to drop down to the jungle floor, landing silently and detaching the carabiners. The cords were sucked back up into the ship, melding back with it cleanly. Miss Martian and Hawkgirl were the next two to reach the ground, just as covertly as their teammates. However, all of their efforts were immediately ruined as Superboy crashed down to the ground, sending up clouts of dirt and stone.

Everyone was forced away from the point of impact from the subsequent shockwave and debris, while Superboy just straightened up in his newly made crater. "Knew I didn't need a line."

"And yet creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the _covert_." Robin snapped from his place at a crouch nearby, careful to keep his voice at a relatively low tone.

"Are you not aware this is a _stealth_ mission, _Ka'Zera_? I trust you will keep that in mind from this point on." Ski'Lira frowned, crossing her arms. She was making a mental note to rectify this as soon as possible. Superboy's recklessness could have very well killed them just then. They were _incredibly_ lucky that Drop Zone B was far enough away from the main complex that such a mishap went unnoticed. In missions to come, they wouldn't be so lucky.

And just like that, any illusion of calm that Superboy had was shattered. He whirled on her, hands clenched into fists. " _What_ did you just call me?!"

"Now is not the time for arguments." Hawkgirl deadpanned, merely raising a brow at his show of aggression. "We will address your mistake later." Ignoring him now, she activated her comm unit. "Aqualad, we have reached Drop Zone B."

"Head for the factory." Aqualad's orders came through quickly as Robin pulled up his holomap for directions. "I'll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP."

"Roger that." Robin confirmed, blinking off the screen and leading them into the jungle.

H

Inhaling deeply, Ski'Lira relished in the smells and sounds of the jungle around them. Thanks to the full moon and nearly cloudless sky, the landscape around them was nearly crystal clear, allowing those members of their party with normal, human-level vision to maneuver easily. Superboy was unhindered for the obvious reasons, namely his Kryptonian heritage. Hawkgirl herself possessed what Hal Jordan had once described as "Unfairly Awesome" eyesight. Her eyes could easily observe far distances with stark clarity during both day and night, without any of the detriments such as color blindness as was often seen in the nocturnal species of the Earth animal kingdom. Once they delved deeper into the forest where the moonlight couldn't reach, her eyes would adjust accordingly.

It was a pity that her helmet would obscure the glow of her eyes when that happened. It would have been glorious to see her teammate's reactions.

Her train of thought was abruptly shattered as her sensitive ears picked up on an errant noise. Before she could voice her concern, Superboy spoke, coming to a halt in the middle of the muddy path.

"Did you hear that?"

"Uh, no." Kid Flash replied uneasily, stopping as well. "Is this a super hearing thing?"

"You do have great ears."

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes at the blatantly lovesick Martian girl. "I heard it too." The barest rustle of cloth and the sound of creaking from the nearby trees gave away Robin's abrupt disappearance, making her roll her eyes for the second time in the last ten seconds. At the rate this mission was going, her eyes were going to drop right out of their sockets.

"Okay, Rob, now what?" The speedster turned back, expecting to see him there. Realizing they officially had an MIA member of the team, he huffed. "Man, I hate it when he does that."

"Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared." Aqualad chimed in. "See if you're being tracked."

Kid Flash slipped his red goggles down over his eyes, faint red lines appearing over the lenses as he activated the infrared mode.

Hawkgirl temporarily took charge of the situation, leading them towards an outcropping to use as a vantage point, crouching behind a boulder and a fallen log to obscure their presence.

It didn't take long for Kid Flash to pinpoint the source of the noise from earlier. "Got a squad of armed bozos incoming."

"Two squads" Superboy corrected after making a scan of his own. "But they'll meet each other before they find us."

A barrage of gunshots suddenly rang out through the jungle, startling the nearest wildlife and sending the previously quiet jungle into a cacophony of noise.

"No super hearing required now." Wally muttered to himself, earning a scowl from both Superboy and Hawkgirl.

"Swing wide, steer clear" Aqualad ordered.

"Yeah, soon as I find Rob." Before any of them could stop him, Kid Flash sped off into the forest on the hunt for his best friend. The gunfire paused for a mere moment's respite before kicking up again, even more intense than before.

Hawkgirl shook her head, adding another mental note to her list of mistakes that had been made on this mission. At this point, she was sure she'd be beating her head against a tree by the end of the mission. Letting out a harsh sigh, she sprinted forwards and towards the fray with her teammates following close behind. At least she could let out some of her aggression on the armed goons.

She'd opted to forgo her mace for the moment, content with beating down the armed thugs with her gauntleted fists. Hawkgirl took care of the stragglers on the fringes of the fight, making certain that none of them managed to escape.

"What is wrong with you guys?!" Robin's voice suddenly cut through the fray as he leapt down from one of the trees, seemingly appearing from nowhere. "Remember covert? Why didn't you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?!"

"That's what you were doing?" Kid Flash finally stopped running around the immediate vicinity so he could directly address the recently returned Boy Wonder. "Way to fill us in. We're not mind readers, you know!"

Just at that moment, Miss Martian slammed a red-hooded thug into a nearby tree with her telekinesis, knocking him out cold.

"Er… I'm not anyway." Kid Flash tacked on sheepishly.

"You told me I could only read the bad guys' minds." The Martian reminded him.

It was then that Aqualad made his own entrance, casually dropping down from his own vantage point and nonchalantly shocking the last remaining thug with his bioelectricity.

H

It hadn't taken long to tie up every one of the armed goons, though they were lucky that enough of their enemies had been carrying rope in order to do so. The two groups of combatants had been separated across two of the large jungle trees, their bonds thoroughly checked by multiple members of the team.

"I recognize those uniforms." Robin began. "They belong to the cult of the Kobra."

"I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation." Aqualad sounded pensive.

"Agreed. And since there's clearly no love lost between the cultists and those goons, I'm betting Kobra came in and tossed them out. That's why normal supply lines have been cut off."

Kid Flash let out an exasperated noise. "We get it!" He threw his hands up in the air. "Kobra wanted super cultists. Mystery solved. Radio Bats, and we'll be home in time-"

He was swiftly interrupted by Robin. "These cultists _aren't_ on Venom. Kobra's hoarding the stuff. We don't leave. Not until I know why." His eyes were narrowed slightly and he had a firm set to his shoulders, determination nearly exuding from him like an aura.

Hawkgirl had hoped that would be the end of the discussion and they could finally move on to locate the factory, but apparently things weren't going to be in her favor tonight.

"Until you know why?" The speedster took a few steps forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Robin.

"This team needs a leader." Robin insisted.

"And it's you? Dude, you're a thirteen year old kid who ducked out on us without a word."

"Ha! And you're a mature fifteen?" Robin pointed out defensively.

Hawkgirl shifted her focus away from her teammates, instead opting to keep an ear out for both their hostages and the surrounding forest. Bickering back and forth like this was far from conducive to a successful stealth mission. She was seriously considering doing her own disappearing act to finish out this mission herself. And Thanagarians weren't ones to abandon their comrades so easily.

When she had devised a possible plan of escape, her attention was suddenly piqued as Bane started to speak to his men quietly. Unfortunately, Spanish wasn't one of the languages she was fluent in, and standard greetings and colors certainly weren't going to be of use.

However, by the smirk on Superboy's face it seemed that he _did_ know Spanish… You learn something new every day. Hawkgirl made another mental note to inquire as to how many languages Superboy actually knew.

Before she could sidle over and ask Superboy about what he'd heard, Robin and Kid Flash's argument only grew louder.

"Yeah? You don't even have super powers!"

"Neither does Batman!"

"Duh, you're not Batman!"

" _Duh,_ closest thing we've got!"

Their bickering was interrupted by a low chuckle from Bane. "Such clever niños… But you only know half the story. Let me show you the rest… Get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

All arguments were forgotten in the aftermath of Bane's disruption, all of the young heroes moving to surround the renowned villain. Hawkgirl's hand was resting casually on the handle of her mace, ready to smash it into the brute's face at a moment's notice.

She was _really_ hoping she'd get the chance to do so.

M'Gann took the initiative, delving into Bane's mind. "There is a secret entrance." She confirmed after a moment. "But he's also hiding something." Crouching down in front of him, her eyes began to glow a solid white.

Bane seemed more amused by the attempt than anything else. "Ah, ah, ah, chica. Bane is not that easy."

The glow in M'Gann's eyes faded as she sat back on her heels. "Oh. He's mentally reciting fútbol scores en español. This could take a while…"

"It's not complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Letting out a low growl, Hawkgirl stepped forward, hand tightening around the handle of her mace. "You are _still_ our enemy, despite any animosity or common goals we may share."

"It's just a saying." Kid Flash said with an agitated huff.

Her intense gaze didn't waver from the man in front of her. "I am aware of the aphorism, though I far from agree with it. We are _not_ going to follow him into battle."

H

Apparently Ski'Lira was the only one to remember that Bane was one of the most notorious villains of their time, both unmatched in strength and boasting the intelligence to manage a terrifyingly effective criminal empire. Not to mention that Bane had been one of the very few that had managed to beat Batman himself, nearly crippling him for life. She was going to have some _words_ with her team members when this mission was over. Angry words. Angry words most likely paired with slaps to the head.

Hawkgirl kept her eyes laser focused on Bane through the entire journey, her hand never leaving her mace. If he so much as twitched in the wrong direction, Bane was going to find himself in a world of hurt he'd yet to experience.

After a tense few miles trek through the forest, they finally came to a break in the trees. There were only a few clear feet of ground before it dropped off into a steep cliff, a perfect vantage point to see the factory in the distance. The building complex was a blight on the verdant forest.

Robin was the first to move forward, a pair of high tech binoculars in hand. Trusting that Robin could take care of casing out the warehouse, she continued her watch over Bane.

"Look at all that product." Robin actually sounded a little impressed by the operation he was spying on. "A buy is going down."

Bane drew away from the young heroes and headed towards a spot nearby, pointedly ignoring Hawkgirl's constant gaze.

Robin drew his binoculars away from his eyes, turning back to look at his team. "But if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects, then-"

"We need to identify that buyer." Aqualad finished, nodding to himself.

"Just what I was thinking." Kid Flash couldn't help but add.

Standing up from his crouch, Robin gave the speedster a pointed look. "Yeah, you're the thinker."

"Sarcasm? Dude. A _real_ leader would focus on getting answers."

The sound of grinding rock summoned the rest of the team Bane's location, as he effortlessly moved a massive boulder that had been obscuring what appeared to be an abandoned mine tunnel. It was difficult to tell from their position exactly how long the expanse was, but at the very least it was dimly lit courtesy of electric lights strung up at periodic intervals.

Bane gestured at the mouth of the tunnel like he was revealing how many 'C's' were in the puzzle phrase. "Answers are this way."

Kid Flash sneered. "So, now el luchador is our leader."

Despite Kid Flash's misgivings, they followed Bane into the tunnel. Hawkgirl lingered for a few moments, eyeing the space dubiously. She couldn't help the small shudder that sent her wings shaking, though she quickly folded them in tight to hide her moment of weakness from the others. Inhaling and exhaling slowly, she steeled herself and entered the mine.

H

In the end, Bane had at least been telling the truth about the presence of a secret entrance. Activating the electronic door at the conclusion of the tunnel, they were admitted into the heart of the complex. Mere moments after they had entered, Robin had snapped off an "All clear" before darting off deeper into the building before any of them could stop him.

"Has that little fool already been caught?" Bane grumbled.

"No, he just does that." Aqualad deadpanned.

"If he had been caught, we would know." Hawkgirl added, visibly making Bane roll his eyes.

"Stay put." Kid Flash ordered, slipping his goggles over his face. "I'll get our intel and be back before the Boy Wonder."

"Wait, Kid!" The Atlantean tried to reach out and grab him, but his attempt was in vain.

There were a few beats of silence before Bane shook his head, almost in disbelief. "Great chain of command."

Inhaling deeply through her nose to try to center herself, Hawkgirl's next words came out as more of a low growl. "This is becoming embarrassing." Her head snapped up as Bane started to chuckle. "I will not hesitate to snap you like a twig."

Bane's chuckles turned into full blown laughter, bending down slightly at the waist so he was eye level with her. "I would like to see you try, pajarito."

As he leaned back, she started to lunge at him, only for Aqualad to grab her firmly by the arm, shaking his head sharply at her to deter her from further attempting to attack him.

If she didn't get the chance to punch Bane in the face by the end of this mission, she was going to be a _very_ unhappy Thanagarian.

H

"It's a massive shipment…" Aqualad commented, pale green eyes glued to the bustling thugs moving the product. Once they realized neither Robin nor Kid Flash were going to be returning anytime soon, Bane had led them to another position within the warehouse where they could further spy on the proceedings.

"Yeah, but they're only taking new product off the line." Superboy said. "They're not touching this Venom."

M'Gann shrugged. "Maybe freshness counts?"

Before anyone could reply, Superboy's head suddenly tilted up, focusing on an unseen target. "Helicopters incoming."

Shortly after that announcement, Aqualad had ordered them to retreat back inside the warehouse, leaving M'Gann to watch the new arrivals invisibly. Superboy and Aqualad had both settled into more comfortable positions on the metal catwalk, while Hawkgirl had remained at attention. They were too far in enemy territory (and in too close of a proximity to a supervillain) for her to relax even marginally.

Her attention was drawn as Aqualad's eyes suddenly snapped open. "Sportsmaster. He is the buyer?"

Hawkgirl gave a little start. Sportsmaster? That was one of the last people she'd expect to buy from Kobra.

Now that they had acquired all the information they wanted to, Aqualad finally decided to contact Red Tornado. "Aqualad to Red Tornado. Do you read?" A burst of static erupted from the ear piece. "Ugh. Can't reach the League, Robin, or Kid. Comm's jammed. We need a plan, no-"

"I have a suggestion." Bane interrupted. Letting out a war cry, he leapt off the metal catwalk they had claimed as their perch, landing straight onto a couple of unsuspecting Kobra goons.

Aqualad glared down at Bane. "What is he-?"

A massive crash sounded behind them as Blockbuster unexpectedly slammed through the massive glass window at their backs. The brute dropped right onto the catwalk, snapping it in half and sending them all dropping towards the ground.

Hawkgirl snapped out her wings the moment she recognized she was in freefall, swooping down and coming to a stop at a hover just behind Aqualad and Superboy. At the other end of the warehouse, King Kobra had made his grand entrance along with a slew of his identically-dressed men, all of whom were heavily armed.

"Destroy them."

Instantly, Kobra's men complied.

Blockbuster let out a roar of challenge, surging forward. Superboy met him head on in the middle of the makeshift battlefield. Aqualad activated his water-bearers to form a solid blue shield as Kobra's men started to fire on them. Hawkgirl, with mace firmly in hand, dodged and weaved in the air to avoid bullets. Aqualad was limited to taking potshots with globules of charged water from behind the safety of his shield, while Hawkgirl dropped down to either hit or bodily pick up soldiers and fling them at their fellows.

Miss Martian's arrival was heralded by multiple goons being thrown into the walls by an invisible force. Superboy was still firmly locked in hand to hand combat with Blockbuster, which was a relief as it kept the brute isolated.

Ski'Lira just barely caught sight of Sportsmaster when he threw a solid black javelin straight at the slight distortion in the air that could only be M'Gann. Unexpectedly, the javelin exploded, both rendering Miss Martian visible and sending her careening backwards through the air. Hawkgirl just barely managed to snag her by the cape, hauling her up and dropping the Martian girl down safely on top of one of the massive metal tanks lining the wall of the warehouse.

Once they were both settled down, Ski'Lira examined her teammate for injuries. "Are you harmed?"

"No, no, I'm fine." M'Gann insisted, though the slight trembling of her voice gave away her dishonesty.

Hawkgirl pointedly grabbed the girl's slightly singed green hands for a moment, making her wince slightly from the slight twinge of pain. "It'll heal soon enough. I'm more… shaken than anything else." M'Gann admitted quietly.

"The fire?"

She gave the slightest nod.

Hawkgirl's jaw tensed slightly and she stood. "Take a moment if you must, but I believe you are more than capable to continue this fight."

"Miss Martian!" Aqualad suddenly shouted from across the room, gaining the attention of both female members of the team. "Radio is jammed! Link us up!"

She was visibly startled by the suggestion, but quickly complied.

" **Everyone online?"** M'Gann was naturally the first to test the connection.

Superboy was the next to reply. **"Yeah"**

" **You know it, beautiful."** Kid Flash chimed in.

Hawkgirl gave her best attempt at transmitting a mental glare. **"Keep it off the battlefield!"**

" **Good, we need to regroup."** Aqualad said.

" **Busy now."** Robin snapped, his mental voice sounding slightly strained.

It was with that casual dismissal Aqualad reached the end of his seemingly infinite patience. **"Robin, now! Strategic retreat. Kid, clear a path."**

Kid Flash tore through the horde of goons, providing enough clear space for the team to make their retreat. Hawkgirl flew down with Miss Martian at her side, making it through the now open door of the secret entrance with the rest of them. Superboy was the last inside, slamming the metal door shut from the inside and locking it.

They were already running back through the tunnel as Blockbuster crashed through the door like it was made of Styrofoam rather than half-foot thick steel.

"Superboy, Hawkgirl, the support beams!" Aqualad yelled.

Superboy took the left while she took the right, both punching through the wooden beams supporting the earthen ceiling. The wood splintered easily under the force of their blows and the roof started to collapse, blocking the way and allowing them to successfully evade capture.

Once the dust had settled and a thick wall of rubble shielded them from Blockbuster and Kobra's men, they finally allowed themselves to stop. Hawkgirl clenched her jaw and tightened her fists, focusing on the situation at hand to keep her panic at bay.

Cracking a red glow stick and dropping it onto the ground, Aqualad illuminated the collapsed tunnel with a dim, eerie light.

It was Robin that was the first to break the silence that had settled over them. "How could my first mission as leader go so wrong?" He turned away from the others, sounding genuinely distraught at the failure.

"You do have the most experience." Aqualad said calmly, drawing the younger boy's attention. "Perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared. Fighting alongside Batman, your roles are defined. You two do not need to talk. But this team is new. And a leader must be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play parts in an unknown plan."

Robin whirled on him, raising his voice. "Oh, so I'm supposed to hold everyone's hands?!" He blew out a breath, running a hand through his tousled black hair. "Who am I kidding…? You should lead us, Kaldur. You're the only one who can."

"Please!" Wally scoffed. "I can run circles-"

"Wally, come on. You know he's the one. We all do."

Miss Martian smacked herself in the forehead. "Hello, Megan! It's so obvious!"

"Could have told you." Superboy added.

Wally's shoulder slumped, realizing that he didn't have a chance. "… Okay…"

Hawkgirl suddenly found herself the subject of everyone's scrutiny. For a single instant, she thought that they were picking up on her panic and were about to call her out on it. "What?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Aren't you going to fight him for it?" Kid Flash sounded thoroughly taken aback.

"Why would I?" Hawkgirl was genuinely confused at the suggestion, but the distraction sent some of the tension bleeding out of her shoulders and she was breathing a little more easily. "Kaldur'ahm is the logical choice to lead our _ka-_ " She cleared her throat, trying to cover up her error. "Our team. He has earned my respect as a comrade… and as a friend…" She flashed him a sincere smile, meeting his eyes. "And for that I will follow his orders to the end."

Kaldur looked a little taken aback by the admission, but returned the smile nonetheless, inclining his head slightly to her in acknowledgement. Stepping forward, he placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Then I accept the burden until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team… Maybe not now, but soon."

Robin nodded, grinning at the acknowledgement.

The newly elected leader of the team turned to the rest of them. "And if you are all in agreement, I would like to put forward Hawkgirl as my second."

Hawkgirl blinked twice in surprise. "… Pardon?"

"You are skilled in battle, a fact that none of us can deny." He explained. "And you often see things that the rest of us overlook. I would be honored if you would agree."

Wally looked downright horrified. "Oh no… Don't put her in a position of leadership! I'll never be able to get away with _anything_!"

Robin barked out a laugh. "Pretty sure that makes her a perfect choice then, KF."

"You'll do amazing!" M'Gann added in her two cents, beaming at her fellow alien.

Sighing deeply, Hawkgirl nodded. "Fine. I will serve as your second, Aqualad. Since we're finished with the inter-team politics, may I remind you that we still have a mission to finish?"

"Alright" Aqualad took over. "Our first priority is preventing that shipment from leaving this island."

Robin smirked. "Funny. I had the same thought."

H

The team was once more in motion as they ran along the mine tunnel, Robin's holoscreen open and adding slightly more light to the dimness of the expanse. "Sportsmaster's the supplier/buyer, but it still doesn't track. He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula _or_ to get Kobra to do his dirty work."

"And neither of them have the chops to bond Blockbuster with Venom. That took some major nerdage." Kid Flash added.

Aqualad spoke up. "I believe the term is 'tip of the iceberg'."

As the end of the tunnel appeared before them, they all slowed to a stop… only for Bane to finally make a reappearance.

"Halt, niños. I'm feeling _explosive_." He had a wholly unpleasant smile on his face, one hand gripping a detonator held out for them to see.

A quick glance up confirmed that a series of explosive devices had been ringed all around the mouth of the tunnel, right where they were standing.

"You betrayed us…" Aqualad's eyes were wide. "Why?"

"This is a completely unsurprising turn of events." Hawkgirl's eyes narrowed and her mouth turned up in a snarl, baring her teeth. "The enemy of my enemy remains my enemy."

" **Kid… You'll need a running start."** Aqualad's voice was calm through the telepathic link, and his stare remained unwavering and face expressionless.

"I want my factory back." The supervillain replied simply. "So I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying. If the latter, the Justice League would certainly have come to avenge their sidekicks. And when the smoke cleared, Santa Prisca would be mine once more. Blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect."

A blur of dark gray and red shot past Bane, and Kid Flash skidded to a stop just behind him. "With what, this trigger thingy?" He pointedly dangled the detonator tauntingly in his hand.

Bane let out a roar, attempting to grab the speedster, only to be jerked up into the air via M'Gann's telekinesis.

Superboy moved to stand underneath the struggling wrestler. "Finally."

Not one to pass up the opportunity she had been dearly hoping for, Ski'Lira moved to Superboy's side. "I second that."

Superboy nodded. "Drop him."

Both curled up fists and poured every vestige of power they had into the force of their hits, veritably punching Bane into the next week.

H

Kid Flash burst out onto the tarmac as the backup helicopter was starting, drawing gunfire from the trigger-happy Kobra goons. Hawkgirl was close behind him, swooping down from the sky with a war cry and taking out a line of five goons with one swipe of her mace.

"Take the shipment!" Kobra shouted above the noise.

Superboy dropped down onto the pavement, smirking at Blockbuster. "Go again?"

Kid Flash sped past, knocking a Kobra goon out of the way. With the thug out of the way, a path was cleared for Aqualad to send a torrent of water straight at Blockbuster and pushing him out of the fight.

"Sorry, not the plan." Superboy said in a completely unapologetic tone just before Sportsmaster blasted him with a laser gun.

Hawkgirl and Kid Flash remained content in tag teaming the horde of Kobra goons, as not only did they get to beat down glorified cannon fodder, but their attempts meant that their teammates could take on the ringleaders of the operation without interruption.

The Thanagarian couldn't help but bark out a laugh as Kid Flash stole a mask from one of the unconscious thugs. "Souvenir!"

"A worthy trophy of battle!" She crowed back, briefly flipping upside down while mid-air to avoid a hail of bullets and slamming her booted feet into the chest of the closest thug.

The explosion of Sportsmaster's helicopter and the defeat of the last of Kobra's men heralded the end of the fight. Soon, they were all gathered together once more in time for Kobra to slink into the forest.

"Another time, then" He said, disappearing completely into the foliage. A quick search on Hawkgirl's part confirmed that he had disappeared completely, vanishing without a trace.

"We picked the right guy to lead." Robin suddenly proclaimed, spreading his arms wide as he surveyed the massive fire overwhelming the warehouse. "Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman!" Robin cackled madly as Aqualad's eyes widened slightly.

Striding over, Hawkgirl clasped a hand on Aqualad's shoulder. "Don't worry. I will help you shoulder this burden. Even though I would like to make it explicitly clear that I am not to blame for any of the mistakes that have occurred on mission and completely called Bane's betrayal."

Aqualad tilted his head ever so slightly. "Acknowledged."

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 4TH, 2010  
01:06 EDT

Kaldur, Ski'Lira, Robin, Wally, M'Gann, and Superboy were lined up in the hub of the mountain, straight backed and stern faced. Even though they were back in civvies, they were trying their best to at least seem like professionals. Though it was difficult to maintain one's calm when the Dark Knight was reprimanding them for a nearly failed mission.

"A simple recon mission, observe and report. You'll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes. Until then… Good job."

The expressionless facades finally broke and they were all visible surprised… apart from Hawkgirl, as her mask was successfully obscuring her wide, shocked eyes.

"No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success and how you choose who leads determines character."

Ski'Lira couldn't believe that Batman had actually complimented what she was sure had been an abysmal mission. It was still terrible, but they had at least managed to finally establish some semblance of team dynamics. Not to mention that now they had plenty of material to work off of for improving the team's performance in the field. In hindsight, they probably needed a mission like this, a long string of mistakes that they could properly learn from so as to improve themselves in the long run.

And hey… At least she got to punch Bane in the face.

* * *

Drop Zone isn't one of my favorite episodes, but I tried to at least make it a little more fun. Important character development is important. Next chapter is Schooled, one I'm mostly looking forward to because of the introduction of Black Canary. Fun times will be had for all.

My only regret for this chapter (other than the lateness for getting it finished) was the mental image of Bane as Vanna White. Sorry for that.

As always, comments, questions, and concerns are welcome! Especially because I finished the last part of this chapter at three am and there's probably some mistake somewhere.


	6. Anger (Mis)Management

To the guest reviewer that pointed out the strange hovering mechanics used for winged heroes in cartoons… Yeah, it's pretty physically impossible. Though the rapid flapping would be _very_ distracting, so I think I'll stick with the gravity defying-hovering.

After much debate and studying of various wikis for DC superheroes, I have decided upon a reasonable height for Ski'Lira Hol. She is officially 5' 10'', making her the tallest female member of Young Justice. And yes, she likes to loom over her shorter team members, especially Robin.

Author's note continued at the end!

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 3RD, 2010  
13:06 EDT

At the moment, Ski'Lira was debating whether or not it was worth it to sneak her phone out of its hiding place in her boot and completely detach from the situation. There were three primary factors motivating her decision. First, she was currently spectating the most boring game of air hockey she'd ever seen in her life, with Kaldur barely trying and Wally more focused on eating a banana than the actual game. Second, both Superboy and their scheduled mentor for their very first group training session were late. And third, and most importantly, she was on her first read through of _1984_ and would very much like to get back to it.

Just as she had made up her mind and was bending over to slip her phone out, the Zeta Tube behind her whirled into life.

" _Recognized: Superboy, B04"_

She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed at that point, casually straightening as Superboy strode into the cave. He looked grumpier than usual, stalking in a straight line through the holographic hockey table and dispersing it. Aqualad actually seemed relieved for a moment at not being dragged into yet another game, though he schooled his features quickly.

"Hi, Superboy" M'Gann greeted, a wide smile on her face. "How was Metropolis?"

Her question went unanswered, as instead a woman pointedly cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the entire team. "Ready for training, everyone?"

Emerging from one of the nearby hallways were two very recognizable members of the Justice League. Judging from where they came, they must have used the exterior access route. It seemed a more feasible explanation than that they'd Zeta'd in early and had hidden from the young heroes in order to make a grand entrance once they'd all been sufficiently gathered.

"Black Canary! Uncle J'onn!" M'Gann darted forward, hugging J'onn tightly around the waist.

"M'Gann" He greeted once she had released him, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd see how you were adjusting."

"A few bumps…" She admitted. "But I'm learning."

J'onn gave the smallest of smiles. "That's all I can ask."

During the exchange, apparently the last of Superboy's patience had snapped and he made to slink off into the depths of the Cave.

"Stick around." Black Canary commanded. "Class is in session."

The Team (minus Superboy, who was standing on the opposite side of the room) gathered together as Black Canary stepped into the middle of the cave floor. Once she was stationary, a perfect circle of fluorescent light activated on the floor underneath her and radiating outwards. They'd been informed of the new training floor that had been installed when they were given control of the mountain, but they hadn't seen it in action yet.

"I consider it an honor to be your teacher." Black Canary began. "I'll throw a lot at you, everything I've learned from my own mentors – " Pulling off her leather jacket, she winced as a thick white bandage wrapped around her bicep was revealed. "And my own bruises."

"What happened?" Miss Martian's eyes shone with genuine concern.

"The job." Casually tossing her jacket off to the side, she was left in just her corset, effectively freeing up her range of movement. "Now, combat is about controlling conflict, putting the battle on _your_ terms. You should always be acting, never reacting. I'll need a sparring partner."

Hawkgirl saw Canary's gaze flicker towards her pointedly for a moment, but before she could volunteer Kid Flash raised his hand. "Right here." Ambling forward, he tore into the last bit of his banana, stuffing his mouth with the remains of the fruit. "After this…" He tossed the banana peel off to the side, plastering what he probably though was a charming grin on his face. "Swish! I'll show you _my_ moves."

The blonde woman smirked. Without a single warning, she threw a fist straight at his face. He hastily threw up his left arm to block the blow in a practiced motion, only for her to suddenly duck and sweep his legs out from underneath him.

"Oof!" Kid Flash was sent crashing to the ground, the breath knocked out of him. While he was still splayed on the ground, a circle display suddenly appeared underneath his torso bearing his name and designation number, as well as the word 'FAIL' in bright red letters. "Hurts so good…" He groaned.

"Good block" Canary commented, reaching down and offering a hand to pull him up to his feet. Once he was upright again, she went on. "But did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"Ooh, ooh!" Robin immediately spoke up. "He hit on teacher and got served?" He held up his hand for a high-five that Hawkgirl immediately returned while maintaining her deadpan expression.

"Dude!" Kid Flash was visible reddening a little from embarrassment, and shot a death glare at Robin.

Canary shook her head, though she was visibly amused by the comment. "He allowed me to dictate the terms of – "

"Oh, please" Superboy's derisive interjection immediately earned the attention of everyone present. His arms were firmly crossed, mouth set into a deep frown. "With my powers, the battle's always on my terms. I'm a living weapon, and this is a waste of my time."

Ski'Lira was a second away from crossing the distance, decking him in the face, and trying to shout some sense into him. It was only the look on Dinah's face that kept her from following through with this plan, but she was ready to enact it at a moment's notice.

Honestly, she'd been ready to enact it nearly from the moment they'd first yanked him out of that CADMUS pod.

She was nothing if not prepared.

"Prove it." Black Canary said evenly.

Superboy finally uncrossed his arms, stepping into the virtual ring. Kid Flash backed out of the danger zone and into the relative safety the rest of the group provided.

The two combatants were evenly matched in height, putting Superboy eye to eye with Canary. Wordlessly, they both dropped into fighting stances. Naturally, Superboy was the first to throw a punch, as he was steadfastly trying to prove his point that strength and power outweighed skill.

Without missing a beat, Black Canary dodged his fist, grabbed his outstretched arm, and flipped him up and over her. He ended up landing harshly on the ground, disoriented from the throw.

Robin suddenly burst out laughing, earning himself a sharp nudge in the ribs courtesy of Aqualad's elbow. He tried to muffle his cackling with his hands, but it didn't help much.

Growling, Superboy surged up to his feet. There was no doubt that if he actually possessed laser vision, the woman would have two extra holes in her head.

"You're angry." Black Canary said. "Good, but don't react. Channel that anger into – "

Instead of heeding her advice, the half-Kryptonian blindly charged forward, attempting to grab her. Flipping over him easily, she ducked under his reflexive elbow hit, and swept at his legs just like she did with Kid Flash earlier. Just like the speedster, he toppled to the ground and the circular status display that appeared deemed the effort a failure.

Black Canary moved to stand over him, offering out her hand.

Letting out a frustrated grunt, he climbed to his feet of his own volition. "That's it, I'm done."

The light of the training floor blinked off, ridding the space of the eerie bright light. "Training is mandatory." She reminded him as he prepared to stalk off. That important tidbit seemed to reach past the haze of anger in his brain.

If Hawkgirl had to guess, he'd probably remembered that Batman was the one that was in charge of the training schedule, and he _wouldn't_ be happy if any of them skipped one for a petty reason.

Canary considered him for a moment, before turning her attention towards the rest of the team. "Maybe you need a better demonstration. Hawkgirl?"

The Thanagarian couldn't help the slight excited flutter of her wings, an action that didn't go unnoticed by her fellows. Stepping forward, she prepared to take Superboy's place in the ring while the clone stomped off angrily to the side.

"Armor off, if you would"

Hawkgirl nodded in acknowledgement, before easily stripping off her metal gauntlets and spaulders. From the eager looks on M'Gann's and Wally's faces, they thought her helmet was going to be part of the deal. Once she'd unclipped her mace from her belt and set her equipment carefully in a pile on the floor (keeping her helmet firmly on), she reveled in their disappointed looks as she moved to stand across from Dinah. Just like Superboy, Hawkgirl was eye to eye with the Leaguer, though she knew that Dinah would be shorter if she wasn't wearing her combat boots. The training floor burst back into life, ready to register the next bout.

Vaguely, Hawkgirl considered whether or not Dinah remembered the last time they had sparred, and she had purposefully dislocated her arm in order to escape a hold and popped it back in herself in the next move so she could keep fighting. The vigilante had lectured her for twenty minutes for that stunt.

"I don't want a repeat of our last sparring session." Dinah warned her, eyes slightly narrowed to show her sincerity. Apparently she _did_ remember. That answered that question. "Show them what they did wrong, no more than that."

Hawkgirl nodded sharply.

"Ready?"

Smirking, she easily slid into a fighting stance. "Always."

The word was just barely out of her mouth before she let a fist fly straight at Black Canary, aiming for the blonde's torso. As she predicted, Canary grabbed her arm and prepared to throw her, but Ski'Lira twisted in place, locking her previously trapped arm around the older woman's neck. Not one to be held and captured so easily, Black Canary bent forward and pitched Hawkgirl off of her back, though she still ended up landing on her feet.

Immediately, they slipped back into the fight, trading and dodging the simplest of blows until Canary dropped down and went for the leg sweep. The hit landed and the Thanagarian's legs went out from underneath her, but instead of merely letting herself drop, she followed the path of momentum and rolled. Once her feet her safely back underneath her, she jumped back up to her feet and slipped back into a fighting stance, victorious.

"Excellent" Black Canary praised, neutral stance back in place as she called the fight and faced the rest of the team. Underneath Hawkgirl's feet, the circular display proclaimed the exercise a 'SUCCESS'. "Acting, not reacting. Hawkgirl, correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember Hawkwoman telling me about the rules of Thanagarian combat?"

"There are." Ski'Lira answered immediately.

"What's the first rule?"

"Do not lose."

Dinah's brow furrowed just slightly. "I must be thinking of the wrong number. What's the second rule of Thanagarian combat?"

"If you lose, you haven't trained hard enough."

There were a few snickers coming from the gathered teens, though Canary managed to keep her calm. Even J'onn possessed an amused grin, as small and nearly imperceptible as it may be. "I'm trying to refer to the rule about emotions."

Hawkgirl nodded sincerely, though she had a grin on her face. "Ah, you are referring to rule number six. Emotions on the field of battle must be honed like a weapon, or else they will make you unstable and vulnerable."

"When you let emotions rule the outcome of your fight, you lose the advantage. It's important to – "

Canary was halted mid-lecture as a massive holographic screen suddenly blinked into life behind her, displaying Batman's scowling visage. "Batman to the Cave." Stepping back, Dinah joined the rest of the team and Martian Manhunter in listening to the Dark Knight.

"Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary." A smaller screen appeared off to the left, depicting the new menace in question. It appeared to be a metallic being, with bright orange hair and pointed ears. If its appearance weren't odd enough, the sclera of its eyes were pitch black with burning red irises, completely lacking a pupil. Once the image had sunk in, a video started to play of the 'menace' systematically taking down the members of the Justice League summoned to deal with the threat. "The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant."

Kid Flash was the first to speak. "Whoa, one guys with the powers of the entire League?"

"In the end, it took eight Leaguers to defeat and dismantle the android."

Hawkgirl's eyes widened slightly from that revelation. She couldn't remember the last time that it had taken so many Leaguers to take down a single enemy. She also took a moment to wonder how peeved both of her parents must be for missing a fight like this. The one week they go on a lecture circuit overseas, and they miss something like this.

"An android?" Robin asked. "Who made it? T. O. Morrow?"

"Good guess, Robin" Batman answered. "But Red Tornado doesn't think so."

"The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo." J'onn suggested.

"Ivo?" Aqualad had a look of complete disbelief on his face. "But Ivo's dead."

Turning to meet Aqualad's eyes, Black Canary seemed to share his sentiment of incredulity. "So we all thought… Or hoped."

Batman quickly brought the attention back on himself. "To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized, we're sending two trucks carrying the android's parts to two separate S.T.A.R. Labs facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation." Another secondary screen appeared off to the main screen's right, depicting a map of the routes in question. "Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo or anyone tries to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks."

"Yes!" Kid Flash pumped his fist into the air. "Road trip!"

Superboy seemed far less amused by the prospect. "So now we take out your trash."

"You had something better to do?" Batman posed nonchalantly.

Before Superboy could retort, Aqualad spoke up. "Coordinates received. On our way."

The team of young heroes followed Aqualad out of the hub, ready to embark on another mission.

H

LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNETICUT  
AUGUST 3RD, 2010  
20:08 EDT

The six heavy duty trucks selected for the endeavor were being carefully overseen by both S.T.A.R. Labs personnel and members of the Justice League. The remains of the android had already been split in two, and were divided evenly amongst two specially chosen trucks.

In a nearby copse of trees, hidden from civilian sight, the members of the team were all astride specialty motorcycles. They'd all swapped out their standard uniforms for civilian gear and helmets, cementing their 'undercover' status.

Hawkgirl herself was wearing a thick, black men's leather jacket zipped up as far as it would go, successfully hiding her wings without constricting them uncomfortably tight. Hers was the only helmet that had a completely blacked out visor. It was the second time in a single day that she had caused a stir among her comrades for the potential reveal of her face and the subsequent crushing disappointment.

As they waited for the workers to finish, Hawkgirl leaned back slightly and stretched her arms up and over her head, taking a moment to consider the rest of the team. They were lucky that all of them were able to actually ride a motorcycle or at least were capable enough to pretend. Aqualad apparently had experience with similar vehicles in Atlantis. Robin had been riding a bike for years, and the one he was astride was, according to him, the same one he used to patrol the streets of Gotham. Kid Flash's reflexes were so exceptional, his inexperience was easily made up for. Miss Martian had sheepishly admitted she was probably going to be using her telekinesis to make sure she stayed upright. Superboy… Okay, that was the only one she had _no_ explanation for whatsoever.

When Wally had started to ask him about it earlier, Superboy had just silently climbed onto the bike and started it without a problem. She chalked it up to one of those mysteries they would never receive an answer for.

Hawkgirl herself had been taught by Roy Harper two years ago, when they'd been left alone for a weekend at Oliver's penthouse in Star City. They'd grown bored of playing video games and watching movies very quickly. Roy's solution had been to teach her how to ride a motorcycle. All in all, it was a weekend that she still looked back on fondly… Even if she and Roy were no longer on speaking terms.

"S.T.A.R. Boston is a go."

"S.T.A.R. Manhattan is go."

Shaking her head to clear it of an unwanted reverie, Ski'Lira leaned forward and revved her bike into life in sync with the others. As a pack, they sped out of the trees and towards the road, splitting into two groups once they hit asphalt.

Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Miss Martian followed the truck heading to Boston, while Hawkgirl, Superboy, and Robin were tasked with escorting the Manhattan truck.

H

While they were in formation behind the transport, Ski'Lira took a moment to appreciate that all three of the red motorcycles had been lumped together in a group, although her own vehicle was a much darker shade of red than Robin and Superboy's. It was an inconsequential detail in the grand scheme of things, but it was a neat little coincidence.

They'd spend a good chunk of time in silence before Robin decided to suddenly break it. He increased his speed just enough that he could pull up alongside Superboy, activating his comm.

"If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster?" He mused aloud. "See, instead of things going wrong, they go right."

Hawkgirl let out a short, frustrated noise. "The English language is unnecessarily complicated as it _is_. You're somehow managing to make it _worse_."

Robin turned his head back, snapping off a cheeky salute.

Superboy let out an unhappy grunt, drawing Robin's attention. "Uh… clearly you're not feeling the aster. What's wrong?"

"… Canary." Superboy answered. "What business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?"

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig. Canary learned that the hard way. Same with Batman and well, me."

Clearly unhappy with that answer, Superboy surged ahead, his bike wobbling dangerously for a moment before he managed to straighten out. Hawkgirl took the opportunity to take the now vacant place next to Robin. Using the electronic HUD on the visor of her helmet, she switched over to a private channel with the younger hero.

"I just don't understand it…" She began, shaking her head slightly.

"What?" Robin asked, sounding slightly concerned from her dejected tone.

"How did _he_ beat me in a fight?!"

Letting out an amused snort, his shoulders started to shake slightly from his attempts at suppressing his laughter. "Maybe you're not as good as you _think_ you are."

Even though he was blatantly teasing her, she still felt the need to defend her honor. "We both know that's not true. He was merely lucky… I refuse to let him beat me again."

"That's the spirit! But if he beats you again, I reserve the right to mock you mercilessly for it."

"If he manages to do so, then I will have more than earned your ridicule."

Pulling his bike a little further to the left so they were in arm's reach, Robin reached across the space, holding out a gloved pinkie. "Swear on it? Just for posterity."

"I swear." She linked her pinkie with his. Even after nearly two years of being exposed to Robin's 'Pinkie Swears', she still found the practice a little odd. Though, she appreciated the sentiment behind the gesture. "If Superboy beats me in a fight, you are allowed to laugh at me, and I will not kill you for it."

Just as they released each other's fingers and drifted slightly apart so as to prevent any accidents, the cornfield around them suddenly erupted with movement. A veritable horde of strange silver and green glowing, monkey-like constructs burst out of nowhere, slamming onto the truck as they screeched with laughter.

"Robin, Superboy, Hawkgirl, our truck is under attack!" Aqualad's timing was impeccable.

"Kind of figured" Robin snapped back.

All three of them slipped back into a triangle formation, sticking as close to the besieged truck as they could.

"I hate monkeys." Superboy growled.

"Robot monkeys! Ha!" Robin crowed, seemingly excited by the turn of events. "Totally Ivo's tweaked style." Activating the display on his bike, the rear half detached and flew away into a hover nearby while the remaining parts transformed into a one-wheeled vehicle. "Hey, hey! Switch your rides to battle mode!"

"No point." Superboy merely jumped off his bike and onto the top of the truck.

"… Or not." Robin barely managed to leap out of the way as Superboy's bike careened sideways into his, forcing him to grapple onto the back of the truck.

Hawkgirl had successfully dodged into the other lane to avoid what could have been a three-bike pileup. Shooting forward, she kept pace with the side of the truck, which was similarly crawling with the robotic monkeys. Using one hand to keep her bike steady, she used her free hand to start plucking monkeys off of the truck's side paneling and throwing them down onto the pavement.

Very quickly she decided that it was too slow and planned to overtake the truck and force it to slow down. Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance to implement her hastily made plan, as a trio of the robot monkeys leapt at her face.

The little constructs disrupted her balance enough that she lost control of the bike and knew that it was going to topple. Just as her bike started tipping to the left, she dismounted and jumped off to the right. Slamming into the side of the truck, she barely managed to get her fingers clasped onto the lip of the truck's roof, so she was dangling freely from her fingers. Drawing back her feet, she slammed them one by one into the metal, creating makeshift footholds out of the newly created dents. She earned herself enough leeway to readjust her grip so she could pull herself up and onto the roof.

Hawkgirl managed to lift herself up in time to see Superboy get blasted in the eyes by some kind of green lasers emanating from a robot monkey's optics. While he was disoriented and shouting from the pain, four more of them grabbed him and activated their propulsion systems, carrying Superboy off into the sky and dropping him back down onto the road.

If she wasn't so focused on vaulting the rest of her body up and onto the top of the truck, she probably would have laughed. Instead, she focused back on punching and kicking at every monkey that was in her reach, all the while maintaining her balance on the constantly moving vehicle. Her attention was only drawn away for a brief second when Robin joined her on the roof, arming himself with twin eskrima sticks and joining in the melee.

She really wished she had her mace, but she'd been forced to leave it at Mount Justice with the rest of her armor.

Superboy finally made a reappearance after apparently jumping after them, only for two of the back tires to suddenly explode and send the truck careening from side to side. Robin made a beeline for the cab, tearing open the door and shouting at the driver, only to grab the man himself. Once the man was in his grip, Robin leapt off of the vehicle with the driver in tow, both disappearing into the cornfield.

Hawkgirl remained on the roof of the vehicle in a last ditch attempt to protect the cargo. This proved to be a poor decision on her part, as good as her intentions may have been. The truck flipped over, sending her flying off of the roof as the vehicle tumbled end over end. If her wings weren't currently trapped in her jacket, she would have easily been able to save herself from injury. After landing on the asphalt with a sickening thump, she skidded on the pavement and ended up rolling a few times herself before coming to a final spot.

Staring up at the sky and cataloguing the state of her body, she deduced that the impact would have been far worse if her jacket wasn't armored. She _definitely_ had a few bruised ribs, though. And she probably wouldn't have full range of motion in her left shoulder or left knee for a few days.

The final tipping point was the sight of the remains of the monkey horde flying off with the android's remains, and Superboy chasing after them. Robin tried to call after him to summon him back, but to no avail.

If either of her parents had heard the long string of Thanagarian swears that proceeded to spill out of her mouth, she probably would have earned herself a cuff upside the head.

Ever so slowly, Hawkgirl clambered to her feet and resigned herself to a slow shuffle as she moved towards Robin.

"Aqualad to Robin. We've lost our cargo. Did you – "

This mission just kept getting better and better.

"It's gone." Robin answered succinctly. "And so is one of my partners."

Their team leader wasted no time in contacting the wayward clone. "Aqualad to Superboy. Radio your position. We'll help you."

"I don't need help!" Superboy shouted back. "I don't want any!"

"Superboy?"

Hawkgirl inhaled and exhaled slowly. She was _really_ getting tired of this behavior.

"I think he ditched his comm." Robin suggested, finally turning and noticing the state that Hawkgirl was in.

"Super. Now we can't even track him." Kid Flash huffed, joining in on the conversation.

Robin's brow furrowed and his tilted his head in silent question. She gave him a reassuring nod, making a point to straighten up her posture as much as she could manage and testing her range of movement. As long as she didn't get beat down anymore today, she guessed that she'd probably be fine by tomorrow morning.

"He's out of my telepathic range." Miss Martian sheepishly admitted. "This Professor Ivo, if he is alive, seems to be two steps ahead of us. M-maybe w-we should contact Red Tornado?"

"Tornado always tells us to handle things ourselves." The Atlantean insisted. "And the mission can still succeed if we recover the parts before they're reassembled."

"Well, that's a great plan, except for the part about us not knowing where to look!" Kid Flash pointed out, sounding thoroughly exasperated. If she could see him, Hawkgirl was sure he had probably thrown his hands up from exasperation.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she realized that Robin's attention had been drawn to something on the road. He quickly shared his thoughts. "Maybe we do…" Crouching down, he hooked a cord from his glove's computer to a port on the back of one of the more intact monkey robots lying around. He immediately started to type. "We'd have heard by now if the decoy trucks had been attacked. So how did these monkeys know exactly which trucks to target?" The glowing holographic display suddenly appeared in front of his face. "Ha! The parts have GPS! The monkeys can track the signal… Which means I can track them with the one I captured… It looks like both sets of parts are converging on…"

Robin's eyes suddenly widened, looking genuinely distressed. "Gotham City…"

"That far south?" Aqualad questioned. "M'Gann and I won't get there anytime soon. I'm sending Kid on ahead to meet you. Aqualad out."

Comm unit deactivated for the moment, Robin stood up and pressed another button on his glove. From a ways down the road, Hawkgirl heard the remains of his motorcycle purr back into life.

"Definitely a disaster, heavy on the 'dis'."

She resisted the urge to groan. "Please tell me this won't be a recurring thing."

"No promises" Robin smirked as his bike pulled up to a stop next to him. "Think you can keep up?"

Unzipping the front of her jacket, she let the heavy material drop to the pavement. Finally free from their confines, her wings snapped out to their full length. The black tank top she was wearing displayed the beginning of a massive bruise on her left shoulder, but otherwise she looked unharmed. "You need roads, I don't." She reminded, staring at him evenly, though he still couldn't see her eyes behind her blacked out visor.

"Okay, not going to lie… That was _ridiculously_ badass."

To drive the point home, Hawkgirl cracked her knuckles, the noise muffled slightly due to her half-gloves. "Lead the way. I'll be right above you."

H

GOTHAM CITY  
AUGUST 3RD, 2010  
21:21 EDT

The streets on the outskirts of Gotham City were calm, a far cry from the chaos that reigned the streets of the downtown area when night fell. Hawkgirl was keeping a steady pace flying above Robin's cycle. True to her word, she'd managed to keep up fine, mostly because she could fly in a straight line, while Robin had to stick to the flow of traffic.

A blur of yellow heralded Kid Flash's arrival. The speedster slowed down just enough to keep pace with Robin. From the angle of Robin's helmet, it seemed like the two were conversing on a private line.

"Hawkgirl, you still with us?" Robin asked, suddenly adding her onto their line.

Instead of verbally responding, she tucked her wings in close and dropped into a steep dive. Just before she made it into their line of sight, she heard Kid Flash speak up.

"I think she fell behi- AHHH!"

He let out a totally manly shriek of surprise as she swooped down off to his left, wings fully extended once more as she rose back up into the sky.

"Yes, I'm still here." She replied (completely unnecessarily) once she was flying steadily again.

"We are confiscating that bike helmet at the first possible opportunity. It is _way_ too intimidating." Wally grumbled.

"I think I'll hang onto it. Have you figured out the destination yet?"

Robin answered immediately. "It seems like Superboy managed to divert the android. It's at Gotham Academy."

"Coordinates? I can get there faster with a direct route."

"Sending them to your helmet now."

It only took a moment for her HUD to display a map to the location and once she'd studied it for a moment, she adjusted her course, heading straight for the school.

H

This was going to be Hawkgirl's first time physically stepping inside of a human school. It had been seven years since she'd arrived on this planet, and she'd never had the opportunity… and she also made every effort to make sure such an opportunity never occurred. Both Hal Jordan and Roy Harper had pretty thoroughly put her off any attempt to do so with their horror stories about middle and high school early on.

While she was hovering outside the school searching for a good entrance point, she spotted Superboy being thrown through a concrete wall into the gymnasium. Crashing through the massive windows lining the top of the gym would be the fastest way to him, but she was reluctant to cause that much property damage. After seeing the state of the rest of the school, she guessed that a little more exterior damage wouldn't hurt. Pulling in her wings, she plummeted straight through the glass headfirst, her bike helmet effectively absorbing the impact.

Her sudden appearance nearly startled who could only be Professor Ivo off of his seat, and he had to take a moment to keep from falling off the bench.

Making full use of her momentum, she slammed feet first into the android, driving it off to the side and away from a prone Superboy. This meant two things. One, that Superboy was safe for the moment and two, that she had the android's full attention.

"Access Superman" The android droned in an empty monotone. That was all the warning she received before she was decked straight in the face.

Hawkgirl managed to keep her ground despite the strength of the hit, her heels digging into the lacquered floorboards and creating small craters underneath her feet. The electronic on the inside of her visor had blinked out, as the punch had shattered half of the visor. Shaking her head, she let out a war cry as she slammed both her fists in quick succession into the android's torso, dodging another super-strength enhanced punch and ending up behind the construct.

She drove one of her feet into the small of its back with as much power as she could muster, sending it skidding forwards a few feet. One of its metal hands suddenly snapped back and grabbed her around the ankle, yanking her forward. Her head impacted with the ground once before it pulled her up so she was dangling upside down in its grip.

The android seemed to assess her for a moment before casually tossing her off to the side. Though, a casual toss from a being with Kryptonian level strength was still pretty impressive. She flew all the way to the other side of the gym, smashing into the bleachers.

Hawkgirl lay still for only a few seconds before she set to the task of extricating herself from the Thanagarian-shaped hole in the demolished bleachers.

With her out of the way for the moment, the android had turned its attention back to Superboy, who received a similar beat down. When the clone was left prone at the construct's feet and was about to be crushed, Kid Flash suddenly zoomed into the gymnasium, grabbing Superboy while yelling "Yoink!"

In one of the darkened corners, Robin grabbed a birdarangs from his utility belt and flung it at the android's head, only for it to intone "Martian Manhunter" and go intangible. The birdarangs passed through harmlessly and exploded when it hit the wall behind him.

"Access Red Tornado"

Swirls of red-tinted wind appeared around the construct's legs, rushing at the three heroes pinned in the corner. The sheer force sent them flying away from the android. Robin and Superboy ended up landing close to Hawkgirl on her side of the bleachers, while Kid Flash had shot over to the complete opposite of the gym.

"Having a bit of trouble there?" Robin asked, glancing towards Hawkgirl's struggling form as he pulled himself upright.

"I am going to rip this thing _apart_." Hawkgirl snarled.

"Have to get up first!"

She redoubled her efforts to escape the unexpected evil that was school bleachers, pain radiating from her ribs that had recently been upgraded from 'bruised' to 'cracked'. Throwing off the last of the debris, she charged forwards just as Superboy was knocked aside by another 'Superman' powered punch.

"Martian Manhunter" The android's arms formed into long, elastic tendrils that they were all forced to dodge. Both Superboy and Robin were driven back, but she managed to dodge and weave through the limbs and get up close with the android.

Two kicks and a punch later, his arms had retracted back to normal size before suddenly extending outwards again and her onslaught was halted as the limbs flung her straight back into the bleachers.

She ended up landing at the top of the bleachers. Hawkgirl was still _very_ angry with their distinct lack of progress, but was at least a little thankful she hadn't been thrown into the same hole in the bleachers she'd just escaped from.

Kid Flash sped towards the metal man in his second attempt to engage it, only to be grabbed around the middle, arms trapped at his sides and feet lifted off of the ground. The android started to squeeze with every ounce of super strength it had, making the speedster cry out in pain.

A slight _thwip_ noise drew Hawkgirl's attention for a moment, as an arrow flew through the air and headed straight for the monster's head.

"Martian Manhunter" The android said, phasing once again. The arrow ended up slamming into the ground near Robin's position.

Hawkgirl's head whipped around as she tracked the trajectory of the arrow, which had originated from the same window she'd broken earlier. All she caught was a flash of pale blonde hair before her attention was suddenly diverted towards Superboy, who had been thrown back into the bleachers once again.

Letting out a frustrated growl, she snapped out her wings and leapt into a hover, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Robin threw more birdarangs, only for them all to miss as the android dodged them easily and locked its sights on the black-haired boy.

"Superman" For a moment, nothing happened, but then its eyes started to glow with an unnatural red light. Lasers suddenly burst out of its eyes, aimed straight for Robin. Kid Flash managed to run in and tackle his best friend out of the way, sending them skidding to safety.

Dropping her altitude, Hawkgirl kicked straight at the construct's head, causing it to snap to the side from the force of the strike. Just as she was winding her fist back for a punch, the android changed its accessed abilities. "Captain Atom" Holding out its palm flat in her direction, the hole in its hand glowed with white light. A beam of pure energy slammed into her torso, blasting her up and into the ceiling.

Thoroughly disoriented for the moment, Hawkgirl tried to flap her wings and get back down into the fray, only to realize that her limbs and wings were tangled in the half-destroyed rafters.

Any and all guilt she had felt about possible property damage had completely vanished at this point. This would be the _last_ time she ever willingly stepped into a school. Roy was right. High school _was_ hell.

Not wanting to risk any further injuries or possible dislocated wings, she set to work quickly and quietly untangling herself from the debris, keeping a careful eye on the fight below.

At the moment, Superboy was the last man standing, a fact he realized after clambering out of the bleachers and glancing around the gym. "… Access Black Canary" He muttered to himself, thoroughly confusing the Thanagarian with enhanced hearing currently stuck in the ceiling.

"Oh, yawn…" Professor Ivo made a show of faking tiredness, attempting to goad Superboy back into taking on his creation. "Normally, Amazo would study and mimic your abilities during battle, but what's the point? You're all such poor copies of the originals…"

The pack of robotic monkeys surrounding him burst into mocking laughter.

"So everyone keeps saying." Superboy admitted. "It makes me angry!" He jumped straight at Ivo, and the villain let out a cry of surprise. "Want to see me channel that anger?" Hawkgirl had to admit, that sounded really… off… compared to his usual furious exclamations.

"Great. He's gone ballistic again." Kid Flash bemoaned from the other side of the expansive room.

"Maybe not…" Robin sounded pensive. Apparently he had noticed the same discrepancies in Superboy's behavior that she had.

Superboy made a beeline for Ivo, forcing him and his monkey minions to scatter. "Amazo, protect your master! Priority Alpha!"

"Captain Atom" Amazo announced, and Hawkgirl couldn't help her small wince of sympathy as Superboy was hit with an energy blast.

"Anyone want to play keep away?!" Robin shouted, kicking Professor Ivo, who was in the process of being spirited away to safety by his monkeys.

"Me, me!" Kid Flash yelled back, zooming straight towards the vulnerable engineer.

"Access Superman" The speedster was suddenly knocked off of his feet courtesy of Amazo slamming his foot straight onto the ground.

Robin threw yet another birdarang, instigating another switch to Martian Manhunter's intangibility. Superboy dropped in front of the android and put his fist through his phased head just as it announced 'Superman'.

Superboy's fist was firmly lodged in the android's solid head. Immediately, sparks started to ripple across the metal surface, only to explode a second later.

A now-headless Amazo dropped to the floor, smoke curling up towards the ceiling from the remains of its neck.

Robin wasted no time, running up to the android's side and kneeling down next to it. "Help me disassemble him now!"

 _Finally,_ Hawkgirl managed to disentangle herself from the debris and dropped down to the gym floor, casual as you please. From the looks of things, her embarrassing predicament had gone wholly unnoticed by the rest of her team members, which she counted as a personal win. She headed towards the android's remains, fully intending to aid Robin in finishing off the construct.

"Dude, the guy has no head." Kid Flash pointed out.

"Don't take any chances!" They turned to see both Aqualad and Miss Martian entering the gymnasium… more than a little late to the party.

Miss Martian headed straight for Superboy, helping him to his feet. "Superboy, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." He said, smiling a little. "Feeling the aster." He turned, sharing a meaningful look with Robin.

"NO!" Hawkgirl suddenly shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at the Boy Wonder sitting across from her. "I _knew_ you weren't going to drop it!" She decided to deal with her abrupt burst of frustration in a _healthy_ and _productive_ way… by reaching down and tearing one of Amazo's arms straight out of the socket.

Letting out a huff, she pointedly ignored the wary looks from her teammates.

"Hey…" Wally's head turned from side to side, searching the immediate area. "Where's Ivo?"

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 4TH, 2010  
01:06 EDT

The members of the team were gathered across from Black Canary, Green Arrow, Batman, Martian Manhunter, and Red Tornado, all of them stern-faced and serious as they relayed the events of their mission. They were finally back in their standard uniforms. Ski'Lira, for one, was glad to be rid of her broken motorcycle helmet and once again wearing her metal one. Her mace hung at her hip, a highly reassuring weight, even though she still didn't have it when she really had need of it.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again, safely being analyzed at the two separate S.T.A.R. Labs." Aqualad was nearing the end of his verbal report. "But Ivo escaped. And since he originated the tech, he's arguably more dangerous than the android."

"Capturing the professor will be a League priority." Black Canary informed them succinctly.

J'onn crossed his arms, continuing for her. "But we understand your mission encountered… other complications."

All of the young heroes looked at Superboy, who in turn looked to Robin, looking slightly chagrined.

Batman stepped forward before any accusations could be thrown around. "Complications come with the job. Your ability to handle them has impressed the League."

"The… whole League?" Superboy ventured, sounding hopeful.

"Given time, yes. Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads." Batman's assurances earned him a small smile from Superboy. "Of course, there's no shame in asking for help. That's why the League exists… Because there are some problems even _we_ can't handle individually."

"Please" Robin scoffed. "If we needed help, we'd never get the chance to ask!" He revealed the arrow he'd taken from the gym floor, brandishing it accusingly. "Look familiar? You were following us! Babysitting! You still don't trust us."

Green Arrow ambled forward, taking the arrow from the teen's hands.

"We didn't follow you." Batman insisted.

Removing an arrow from his own quiver, Green Arrow held the two up side by side, revealing their stark differences in structure.

Robin's ire left him like a deflated balloon. "And that's not your arrow…" A realization struck him then, a wide smile appearing on his face. "But that means-"

"Speedy!" Kid Flash finished happily.

"He has our backs." Aqualad agreed.

Wally sped over, plucking the arrow straight out of Green Arrow's hand. "Souvenir!"

Hawkgirl couldn't help the unseen furrowing of her brow. "Speedy? But I saw – "

A harsh glare from Batman curbed her outburst, and she snapped her mouth shut with a soft click. Judging by the looks she was receiving from both Batman and Green Arrow, she would be spoken to very soon about the matter.

A few feet away, Superboy cleared his throat as he stepped towards Black Canary. "I'm ready."

Dinah sounded heartily relieved at the news. "Good. Because I'm here."

H

Just as she predicted, Ski'Lira was pulled away for a talk a mere half hour after the mission debriefing. She had expected multiple members of the League, but it was only Batman in front of her now, as Green Arrow had disappeared soon after the debriefing was finished.

"Tell us exactly what you saw during the fight with the android." Batman cut straight to the chase.

"Not much, I'm afraid." Ski'Lira admitted. "Enough to recognize that it was not Roy. Unless he has dyed his hair blonde and gotten extensions since I last saw him?"

"Long, blonde hair? Is that all?" Batman prompted.

She nodded. "Like I said, not much. I was far too distracted."

"Nonetheless, your aid has been appreciated." The Dark Knight told her. "How are your injuries?"

"Manageable" She answered truthfully. "A few days healing, at most." She ghosted a gauntleted hand over her side where her cracked ribs pulsed with pain from every breath. "It would have been worse if I was not wearing armored clothing… It would have been _better_ if I had been allowed to take my mace."

There was just the slightest quirk of his lips in the palest possible imitation of a smile. "Go home and get some rest. You've earned it."

"Just let me know if there's anything else you need." Ski'Lira smiled in farewell, and proceeded to head towards the Zeta Tube to do just that. She fully intended to collapse on her bed and power through as much of _1984_ as she could before she passed out from sheer physical exhaustion. However, she stopped after a few paces, a question burning in her mind. She opted to turn back around and ask outright. "Batman? Who do _you_ think it was?"

He remained quiet for a moment, to the point that she was sure she wasn't going to receive an answer, until he finally gave a quiet reply. "… An unknown."

* * *

Ugh, this chapter was somehow more difficult to write than Drop Zone. It was a challenge to find a balance of adding new content without losing the integrity of Superboy's character development. I hope I succeeded? Comment, question, and submit concerns to your heart's desire!

And OOOH! I wonder who this mystery person could _possibly_ be?! Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait until the chapter after next for the "Grand Reveal". Can you feel the sarcasm? I put it in quotes and capitalized it to make the sarcasm more palpable. Next chapter, a baby bird meets a grown up bat and a flock of strange, costumed heroes!

Now, here's a question for you lovely readers!

What do you think Hawkgirl's favorite Disney movie is and why?

Does it simply match her personality? Did she relate to it in some way? Or maybe there's an outside influence and circumstances that made it her favorite?

The best answer (or answers, if I can't possibly choose between submissions) will show up at some point in the story!


	7. Many First Meetings

Wow, I hadn't expected such enthusiasm for the 'Hawkgirl's Favorite Disney Movie' Contest. Some of the entries literally made me laugh out loud. From the looks of it, we'll be having multiple winners because there are just too many good answers. I'll be keeping the contest open for a bit longer, up until the point that the answer actually shows up in the story.

But for now, enjoy this adorable tale of a big bad bat meeting his first baby bird. It'll be good practice for when he gets one of his own.

* * *

"Ready to go?"

Ski'Lira nodded without looking up at her _da'mi_ , as all of her focus was currently being occupied by her new footwear. _Ta'me_ had called them 'Light Up Sketchers', a phrase that she didn't understand in the slightest. Every time she stamped her feet, the lights would activate and further perplex her. Apparently human children loved these things, but she felt nothing but confusion.

She wondered if she could shuck them off before they left and her parents wouldn't notice.

Shayera grabbed one of her hands and hoisted the young girl up onto her back, as she easily slid into the niche between her wings. Once her arms were wrapped around her neck, Shayera double checked to make sure that the front door was locked before spreading her wings and taking to the air.

Ski'Lira was being taken to meet the rest of the parents' _kast_ at their headquarters, where her _ta'me_ was already waiting for them. They were headed to the nearest Zeta Tube, which would drastically shorten their journey. About halfway, Ski'Lira realized that she had an opportunity that she wasn't about to miss out on.

Making sure to keep her movements as subtle as possible, she started to rub her feet against each other, gradually loosening her shoes.

H

The young Thanagarian was still clinging to her mother's back when Hawkwoman stepped through the Zeta Tube and they were transported into the depths of Mount Justice. Hawkman was already standing there, the entire roster of the Justice League milling around behind him.

At Flash's suggestion, the entire League was present in the same area, but were separate and spread out into smaller groups, hopefully making the introductions less stressful for Ski'Lira.

" _How was the flight?"_ Katar asked as he stepped forward, pressing a kiss to his wife's cheek before plucking their daughter off of her back.

" _Excellent. She was well-behaved as always. She -… Ski'Lira Hol, where are your shoes?"_

Dark blue eyes widening, Ski'Lira immediately denied the inherent accusation. " _What shoes?"_

Hawkman burst out laughing, tossing her into the air and making her shriek in delight.

On the other side of the cave, Barry quietly muttered to Aquaman. "She's too cute. Just look at her little wings! None of us are going to be able to say no to her. Ever."

A solemn nod of his head confirmed that the King of Atlantis heartily agreed with that observation.

Hawkwoman sighed, knowing she wasn't going to win this battle. _"_ Alright, no more light up shoes."

Settling his daughter on his hip, Hawkman turned them both to face the rest of the room. " _Ski'Lira, this is our kast."_

Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the various individuals clad in a wide array of styles and colors, all of them foreign to her apart from the Green Lantern.

" _Ta'me… Da'mi…_ " She began meekly, getting her parent's attention.

" _What is it, fledgling?"_ Katar prompted.

"… _Your kast dresses funny."_

H

It had taken a solid minute for both Shayera and Katar to stifle their laughter and regain their composure, but by that time Hal had visibly grown impatient and had jogged over.

"There's my favorite Thanagarian!" He greeted, booping her on the nose with his finger and making her nose scrunch up.

"Hello, Hal" She chirped back, ecstatic at seeing the Green Lantern again.

Hal inclined his head towards the nearest group of League members, addressing Shayera now. "We all ready to introduce her to the others?"

"As ready as we'll ever be." Shayera smiled.

And with that, she was carried over to the first group of heroes, a duo comprised of one man in a skintight red costume and a much taller man decked out in orange and green armor that seemed to be made out of scales.

" _Ski'Lira_ , _this is_ Flash _and_ Aquaman." Katar introduced, gesturing to each in turn with his free hand.

"Flash. Aquaman." Blue eyes narrowed slightly, she scanned them from top to bottom, her attention pausing on the emblem positioned in the middle of the Flash's chest.

Seeing the unspoken question in her eyes, Flash chuckled. "It's a lightning bolt. Because I'm the fastest man alive."

Ski'Lira's face remained blank and uncomprehending.

"Her English isn't that great, yet." Hal shrugged.

" _He said it's a lightning bolt. Because he is the fastest man alive. He has powers that make him run faster than the average human."_ Hawkwoman explained, switching briefly back into Thanagarian.

Her memory was successfully jogged, as she remembered her lesson on earth weather phenomena. "Lightning. Electrostatic discharge between cumulonimbus clouds." She rattled off, her pronunciation slightly off and it took her three tries to say 'cumulonimbus', but her definition of the term was perfect.

The Flash was struck temporarily speechless. "Um… What?"

Ski'Lira leveled a look at him. "Lightning."

"No, no, I understood." He put his hands up, a sheepish chuckle leaving him. From the nervous grin on his face, he seemed to be expecting her to leap over and attack him. "It's just… that was pretty good. You know, considering your English isn't all that great yet."

"She likes definitions." Katar said succinctly.

Shayera decided to take pity on the speedster and elaborate on the matter. "She's excellent at rote memorization, but she's struggling with conversational comprehension and implementation. It's expected, considering she learned English from a virtual program rather than an actual tutor. She's a little more proficient in conversational Arabic and Mandarin, but we're trying to encourage her to practice her English for the time being."

Aquaman nodded with a knowing glint in his blue eyes, smiling down at the young girl. "Still, that you have managed to make it this far in your learning is an achievement to be proud of. I know what it is like to learn to adapt to an entirely alien culture so different from your own. I'm sure you will acclimate in no time."

Ski'Lira nodded, her wings fluttering a little from pride. Even though she'd missed most of the words, she still managed to glean the meaning from his tone and the parts she did understand.

"You already seem to have excellent taste in proper footwear." The blonde added with a slightly more mischievous looking grin as he gestured towards her feet.

Ski'Lira looked down and gave a pointed wiggle of her sock-clad toes, the garments bearing little printed Earth creatures called sharks. She liked sharks. They were both cute and deadly. When she told the Atlantean as such, he reached out and ruffled her hair, telling her he had a fondness for sharks too.

She hoped that the rest of her parent's _kast_ were as kind as Aquaman was.

H

After she had started squirming around, her _ta'me_ had dropped her onto the ground so she could walk of her own volition for a little while. However, it did make looking up at the much taller people occupying the room a little awkward.

When she was being led over to the next duo (this time a man and a woman), her brow furrowed slightly as she realized the male clad in green looked familiar. Sniffing, she caught a transient whiff of a familiar scent. Her _ta'me_ had explained that it was something called 'cologne', an expensive scent modifier used to make one seem more attractive. Earthlings truly were a strange people, trying to alter their _scent_ of all things.

"Ollie!" She greeted, proud of herself for recognizing him.

Shayera reached over and tugged on her wing a little. " _Ski'Lira_ , remember his other name? The one you use when he's in uniform?"

She nodded, a serious look overtaking her young features. "Arrow Man"

Green Lantern promptly burst out laughing while Ollie's female campaign hid a smile behind one of her hands.

"Almost" Ollie said. "Add a color in front of it." He tapped his tunic for emphasis.

"Green Arrow Man"

Hal was doubled over at this point, frantically gasping for breath as he kept cackling at his friend's minor misfortune.

"You know what, that's close enough." Green Arrow sighed a little. He made an attempt to derail this thread of conversation. "Skylar, this is Black Canary."

"It's nice to meet you." The woman bent down a little so she could more easily make eye contact. "I like your socks. They're very cute."

"Aquaman do too." Ski'Lira informed her in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Does" Hal corrected immediately.

"Aquaman does too." Ski'Lira repeated.

" _Fledgling, why don't you tell them what happened to your shoes?"_ Hawkwoman said, still sounding a little disgruntled from the event.

"Shoes light up. I did not like them. Shoes fall."

Ollie promptly looked at her parents for an explanation. "Uh… Translation please?"

To the small group's surprise, it was Black Canary who spoke up. "She had a pair of light up sneakers, but she didn't like them so she kicked them off. Probably on the flight over judging by the look on Shayera's face." At their stunned looks, she merely shrugged. "I've babysat young kids before… I'd be willing to watch over her if you ever needed me to."

"That would be highly appreciated." Shayera let out the slightest of exhales, which was the Thanagarian equivalent of a massive sigh of relief. "I have a feeling we're going to be coercing the entire League into helping watch our fledgling at some time or another."

H

"She's such a precious little thing." A black haired woman taller than her own mother had crouched down on the floor in front of her, bearing the same sincere smile she'd seen countless times today from the other members of her parent's _kast_. "Has she started to fly, yet?"

"No" Hawkman's answer was succinct. "Nor will she be able to until she grows new feathers."

Ski'Lira pouted. "Fly soon. I am not a baby."

"Of course she knows that phrase perfectly." A man in a blue suit with a red cape hanging around his shoulders spoke up, laughing a little.

"Skylar, this is Diana, Superman, and J'onn." Hal said, pointing out each one for her.

Her attention locked onto the last member of the trio, taking in his green skin and burning red eyes. " _Ta'me, is he a Martian?"_

"Yes, he is." Katar answered, sounding a little proud. "Excellent memory." Turning to the curious members of the League, he explained. "She recognized J'onn as a Martian."

Shayera crouched down next to her daughter and tipped her head in Superman's direction. " _He is not of Earth like we are too. Though, he was raised on this planet from birth._ "

" _Where is he from?"_ Ski'Lira asked.

" _Why don't you go ask him?"_

Giving her a little nudge between the shoulder blades, she sent Ski'Lira forwards towards Superman. Meanwhile, Katar had pulled both J'onn and Diana into a discussion about her education, with Hal piping up once in a while with his own input.

Instead of merely crouching, Superman had gone a step further and sat down cross-legged on the floor.

" _Ta'me_ said… you… are like us?"

"A little" He affirmed. "I'm a Kryptonian, from Krypton, but I was sent here by my parents when I was just a baby."

Ski'Lira's blue eyes were wide. "Krypton?"

Superman nodded. "Yes. Do you… know about it?"

She nodded. "School. Teach about Krypton. It is… um… _cautionary tale_." She switched over to Thanagarian, looking back at her _da'mi_ for help.

"Cautionary tale" Shayera dutifully translated. "Thanagarian children are taught early that even the mightiest of planets can fall in an instant, with Krypton being a prime example."

"That seems a little… heavy… for a child."

"Maybe for a human." The winged woman shrugged. "It's not like Thanagarian children are pitched against each other in gladiatorial combat…" She trailed off, a pensive look on the visible parts of her face. Well… Not until they're a little older and they've actually started their combat training… What?"

She had stopped due to the look of mild horror that Superman was now sporting on his face. He was so taken aback, he didn't react in the slightest when Ski'Lira started to tug on his cape experimentally.

"Nothing" He said after a moment. "Just… So many things about you and Katar make sense now."

Shayera had just opened her mouth to reply when she was suddenly interrupted.

"I think someone's about to steal your cape right off your back, Kal."

Ski'Lira's eyes shot up towards the newcomer, a looming dark presence swathed in black and grey material, his armor thick and practical. A cape similar to Superman's fell to the floor, ending in sharp spikes. But when she looked up and caught sight of his cowl and the deep set of his mouth, she couldn't help her grin as she bounded up to him.

" _Ta'me and Da'mi didn't tell me there was another Thanagarian in their kast! My name is Ski'Lira Hol, what's yours?"_

It was Hal Jordan who swept forward, hoisting her up into his arms. In order to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible, he spoke quietly to her in Thanagarian. " _This is_ Batman _. He's a human, just like me. Not a Thanagarian… But you do have a point, he is kind of like one of you, ain't he?"_ Giving Batman an apologetic smile, he readjusted Skylar so she was on his back, her legs in his hands and her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Seems little Skylar here thought you were a Thanagarian." He explained.

Despite the fact that his cowl was obscuring them, the incredulous eyebrow raise was nearly palpable. "She thought _what_?"

"I mean, I can see where she got the impression." Hal admitted with a slight tilt of his head, considering the Gotham vigilante for a moment. "With the mask and the general…" He released his grip on Ski'Lira's legs long enough to make a vague gesture with his hands. "You-ness."

Any response Batman could have given was interrupted by an unexpected grumble from Ski'Lira's apparently empty stomach. Her cheeks reddened a little from embarrassment and she pressed her face into Hal's neck to avoid looking at anyone.

"Sounds like someone's hungry." Superman grinned.

"I'll take her to the kitchen and get her something to eat." Hal offered, making eye contact with Katar. "It'll give you a chance to explain some things without certain ears around to hear it."

Ski'Lira pouted a little, knowing that they were going to be talking about her.

"Thanks, Hal" Katar said sincerely.

"No problem. Now, let's go get something to eat, sweetheart." The Green Lantern started walking towards the nearest hallway, the young Thanagarian still perched on his back.

Ski'Lira looked back and considered something for a moment before unhooking her arms and unexpectedly pushing off of his back. Caught off guard, Hal wasn't able to catch her before she dropped easily onto the ground and ran back towards the group of heroes. By this time, all of them had gathered together back into one large group, as all introductions had been done and Ski'Lira was clearly far from being overwhelmed.

Instead of latching back onto her parents like the heroes seemingly thought she would do, she once more ran straight up to Batman. Though this time, she grabbed onto his cape, immediately noticing the difference in material between his and Superman's.

"Come with?" She asked, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"Oh no, she's already learned how to do the Disney eyes." Flash muttered, shaking his head slightly. "We're all doomed."

"Definitely" Green Arrow agreed.

Batman, the Dark Knight, the hero of Gotham, defeater of numerous villains, and an absolutely fearless being was momentarily struck speechless. "You… want me to go with you?"

"Come with." She repeated with a decisive nod of her head.

Shayera cleared her throat, getting Batman's attention. "Go with her."

"I-"

"Go. With. Her." Shayera swiftly interrupted.

Batman didn't seem remarkably happy with this new development, but apparently he wasn't about to risk the wrath of two angry Thanagarian parents. Letting out a deep sigh, he obliged the young girl's wishes… even going so far as to allow her to clamber up his back so he would carry her. Superman was doing nothing to restrain his amused smile at the sight, while Green Arrow had surreptitiously pulled out his phone and started taking pictures.

Keeping his head high, Batman followed Hal out of the main room and towards the kitchen.

H

"Does she still think I'm a Thanagarian?" Batman questioned once he had managed to scrape his newfound limpet off his back and set her down on a stool.

Already searching through the fridge and pantries for snack ideas, Hal tossed an answer over his shoulder without turning back to look at him. "Nope"

"I don't see how she could have made such a mistake." The Dark Knight admitted.

"You know, she _can_ mostly understand you, right?"

"Mistake. Error. Bad." Ski'Lira piped up.

"Good job, kiddo" Hal shot a grin at her before continuing his rummaging. "First of all, your cowl looks a lot like what Thanagarian's consider 'casual wear', since they're still masked more often than not even when they're not running around in armor. And, despite what you may have been led to believe, not _all_ Thanagarians have wings. Hell, the current Green Lantern of Sector 2682 doesn't have them. He actually uses his ring to make wing constructs, which I think is pretty damn badass."

Batman lapsed into a contemplative silence.

Meanwhile, Ski'Lira was actively resisting the urge to question Hal about the Thanagarian Green Lantern. He'd made a brief mention of the man when they first met, but hadn't gone into great detail. Ski'Lira _knew_ about him, of course. Green Lanterns on their own were the most respected group of soldiers in the universe, and having a Thanagarian indoctrinated into their ranks was considered one of the greatest honors the planet could receive.

But when Hal placed a plate bearing a simple sandwich and a sliced up apple in front of her, all questions were pushed aside in favor of scarfing down her food.

Hal leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and keeping a careful eye on the young girl. "I can feel your curiosity from here, Bats."

Batman scowled, but nevertheless asked the question he'd been holding onto. "If she knew I wasn't a Thanagarian, why did she ask _me_ to come with? She seemed… more comfortable with Kal."

Hal smirked. "Ah, now _that_ is an interesting development. The thing about Thanagarian children is that they're born vicious little f-" Clearing his throat, he did a little mental backpedal as he remembered there was a child present. "They're vicious. When they're born, they're hardwired with a predisposition to latch onto both the most trusted and most powerful adult present, as it's the best way to guarantee their safety. Most often it's family and close friends, meaning you more than qualify. Since she was being actively separated from her parents for the first time since she came to live here, it makes sense that little behavior kicked in. Of course, I'm a little hurt that she briefly abandoned me for you."

Judging by the slight slackening of his jaw, Batman was a little surprised by this new information. "That's… unexpected, but an understandable trait for a vulnerable juvenile."

"Well, I wouldn't say completely vulnerable." Hal chuckled, turning to face Ski'Lira, who was still tearing into her sandwich. Judging by the intent look on her face, she'd been trying to follow the conversation. "Sweetheart, can you open up your mouth for me?"

Chewing and swallowing her last bite, she complied, revealing _eight_ razor sharp canines.

"Those are her baby teeth, sharp enough to tear through flesh like tissue paper." The brunette man started to explain, giving her the go ahead to close her mouth and keep eating her lunch. "They'll fall out and be replaced with her adult teeth about the same time she molts for the first time. Then she'll just have the standard four canines."

"… You know a surprising amount about the topic."

Hal shrugged. "My connection to the Central Power Battery allows me access to nearly infinite knowledge. And when Katar told me they were bringing the kid home, well… I thought they'd appreciate having someone else around who understood what was going on. And I thought Skylar here might feel more comfortable too. Thanagar's a much different place from Earth. Even though she's been prepped for living here, it's still not going to be an easy transition." He cast a slightly tired-looking smile at the girl, gaze lingering on her socked feet. "I mean, she already apparently declared a personal war on light up shoes. Who knows what she'll target next?"

H

" _Did you have a good day?"_ Shayera shook out a knitted blanket and laid it over her daughter where she lay in bed. Ski'Lira was thoroughly exhausted from the day's events, meeting her parents' _kast_ for the first time and the ensuing time she'd spent being passed around from hero to hero.

Not long after lunch, she'd come to the realization that any given member of the 'Justice League' was more powerful than she gave them credit for in the beginning. However, despite the wheedling from Flash and Green Arrow, Hal and Batman had stayed her favorites… Well, her favorites right after her parents, of course.

Her parents were still the most powerful people she knew, and she was indescribably happy that she had gotten the chance to finally live with them.

" _I did, Da'mi."_ Ski'Lira stifled a yawn, but she still saw that fond look that her mother always made whenever she called her by her new title.

She was still proud of herself for her choice for both of her parents' titles, as it had taken a long time for her to choose one.

Apparently on Earth, there were only a small handful of terms that a child used to refer to a parent per language. That concept was, much like many other Earth customs, difficult for her to wrap her head around. The Thanagarian had countless combinations that created proper titles for one's parents, accounting for gender, role, and any other factor of the relationship.

Maye and Tildi, the two women who had raised her, were both _'Da'my'_ , 'Female Surrogate Parent'.

During their time spent apart, her parents had been _'Ya'ti'_ , 'Biological Parent for Whom One Feels a Moderate Amount of Affection'.

Shayera Hol was now ' _Da'mi'_ , 'Female Creator'.

And Katar Hol was now _'Ta'me'_ , 'Male Protector'.

Though, she supposed that eventually she might have to start using the human English terms, a thought that didn't appeal to her in the slightest. That concept was about as appealing as Light Up Sketchers.

" _You did very well."_ Shayera continued, smoothing out the blanket. _"Apart from purposefully losing your shoes."_ Smirking a little, she grabbed one of her daughter's blanket-covered feet and squeezed, making Ski'Lira giggle. _"If you didn't like them, you could have just said so."_

" _I won't do it again."_ Ski'Lira promised. _"As long as they don't light up."_

" _I promise I won't buy any more light up shoes."_ Shayera paused for a moment, eyes shifting to look contemplatively out the window. _"Perhaps next time I'll take you shopping with me, that way you can pick out your own shoes. What do you think?"_ Looking back at her daughter, she realized that Ski'Lira had fallen fast asleep.

Smiling a little, Shayera pressed a short kiss to her daughter's forehead before silently creeping out of the room, only to run straight into Katar. He had apparently been hovering out in the hallway watching the scene.

"She's had a long day." Shayera switched over to English easily as the two headed downstairs, intending to watch a movie before going to bed themselves.

"We all have." Katar grumbled, practically collapsing onto the well-worn couch in front of the television. "I thought I was going to have a heart attack when she ran at Bats… Both times."

"He wouldn't hurt her." His wife rolled her eyes a little. "Batman's not completely heartless. Remember four months ago when we were helping with evacuations during that flash flood in China? He had at least six kids all vying for his attention and he didn't so much as bat an eye." She scowled as she realized what she'd just said. "That pun was completely unintentional."

"Sure it was. But you've got a point."

"Of course I do. I'll bet you anything that Batman is going to end up the second member of the League with offspring of his own."

Katar couldn't help his snort. "I highly doubt that. Bats is never going to settle down enough to have a kid."

Shayera settled back against the couch cushions. "We'll see."

* * *

Little Ski'Lira Hol got through her English lessons the same way I passed my Spanish class, by memorizing as much as I could and pretending I knew what was going on at all times. Confidence is key.

And here we have it, more exposition about Thanagarians and a certain Hawkgirl's past interactions with the League.

Next week, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled Young Justice episodes with 'Infiltrator'. I for one am very much looking forward not only to Artemis' introduction, but Roy's reappearance in the story.

Until next time! And as always, comment, question, and submit concerns to your heart's desire!


	8. We're All Mad Here

After getting a question from a guest reviewer concerning the timeline of the last chapter, I decided to make a quick cheat sheet just to make things easier and clearer. The timeline I came up with is mostly similar to the series timeline found on the Young Justice wiki page, but I did move a few years around to suit my needs. For example, the Justice League was founded at least a year earlier and Hawkwoman, Hawkman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary have all been superheroes for a longer period of time.

1994: Ski'Lira Hol is born

2003: Ski'Lira Hol is brought to Earth and she meets the Justice League

2010: Events of Young Justice begin

There are a few key years between 2003 and 2010, but we'll get to those events later on in the story.

Now that all this exposition business is out of the way, we can move onto the chapter!

Disclaimer: Who has two thumbs and still doesn't own Young Justice? THIS GIRL!

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 8TH, 2010  
09:58 EDT

Yawning, Ski'Lira Hol cracked her neck from side to side as she stepped out of her designated bedroom in the depths of Mount Justice. M'Gann was patiently waiting for her out in the hallway. Without a word, she started walking, M'Gann falling in line beside her. Ski'Lira paused for only a moment when she realized that the Martian was staring at her.

"What?" Ski'Lira asked tersely, starting to move forward again.

M'Gann reddened a little and jerked her head back to face frontwards again. "I'm sorry, I just… never realized how… muscular you were. It's… a little intimidating."

Reflexively, Ski'Lira glanced down at her own form. She supposed this was the most unclothed at her fellow teammate had ever seen her, considering the fact that she was in swimwear. Her modesty was preserved by a black halter-style bikini top that revealed her chiseled abdominals. A pair of matching boy shorts and her customary yellow cloth mask completed the ensemble.

She wasn't about to show off her face just because they were having a day out on the beach.

Compared to M'Gann's loose red hair, cheery disposition, and bright yellow bikini, they certainly made an interesting pair. It was almost like the set up to a joke. A Martian and a Thanagarian go to an Earth beach…

"I consider it a personal challenge to be the most intimidating person I can be at all times." Ski'Lira smirked a little.

M'Gann laughed a little and cleared her throat awkwardly. "Well, it's working."

Her smirk morphed into a broad grin, and she saw her green-skinned teammate's shoulders loosen a little from relief. By the time they made it to the exterior entrance where the boys were waiting for them (after a brief detour for M'Gann to pick up a red and orange boogie board and Ski'Lira to grab the portable grill from the kitchen), they had settled into a comfortable silence.

Ski'Lira immediately regretted not bringing a camera with her as they came into view and their teammates caught sight of them. Superboy's eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little, his gaze locked on M'Gann. He quickly managed to regain control of himself and smoothed his expression while pointedly looking away. Robin muttered something about 'Wally missing out', customary smirk in place. Kaldur was quiet, though she _definitely_ noticed his attempts to be as discreet as possible when he did a cursory examination.

To be fair, M'Gann was similarly flustered, considering all of the boys were shirtless.

And Ski'Lira had to admit, they all made a very attractive bunch.

Not that she would admit that aloud.

 _Ever_.

In order to break the sudden tension, Ski'Lira pointedly bumped Kaldur's shoulder with her own. "I have a feeling today will be an excellent learning experience."

"Oh?" One of his eyebrows rose in question.

"If you don't think I _won't_ take the opportunity to try to take down a battle-trained Atlantean in his natural element, you don't know me at all."

Kaldur smiled at her, genuinely amused. "I look forward to your attempts."

H

"Hello, Megan. We should hit the beach every day!" M'Gann called out happily as they emerged out into the sun and stepped onto the undisturbed sand of the beach. Gulls circled ahead, systematically cawing at each other, while the sun hung high in the nearly cloudless sky.

Robin facepalmed solemnly. "First, a moment of silence for our absent comrade."

M'Gann tilted her head down, eyes closed. "Poor Wally."

Ski'Lira nodded. "Truly, he has succumbed to a terrible fate… Attending human school."

When Wally had revealed the beginning of his mandatory school attendance was scheduled the same day as their beach day, he had gained three distinct reactions; sympathy (M'Gann and Robin), indifference (Superboy and Aqualad), and lighthearted mockery (Hawkgirl).

After they'd set down all of their stuff safely in the sand, M'Gann called out for a race to the water. Superboy was the only one to hang back, preferring to wander idly towards the water's edge instead of sprinting. Small gouts of sand were turned up underneath M'Gann, Robin, and Kaldur's feet. Meanwhile, Ski'Lira had decided to forgo racing on foot, snapping out her wings and quickly taking to the air. A few powerful flaps of her two-tone wings she sent herself flying towards the water. Folding in her wings at the last moment, she dove into the ocean at a shallow angle just before the others managed to reach the waterline.

For a moment, she let herself remain under before she shot up back to the surface. From where she bobbed, she could easily see the improvised splash fight that had broken out in her brief absence. Grinning predatorily, she dove back under the water and began the hunt. She was counting on their splashing to effectively cover up her presence as she came closer and closer.

Kicking her feet up off the bottom of the ocean floor, her momentum carried her out of the water and straight at Aqualad's turned back.

Unluckily for her, sneaking up on an Atlantean while they were literally standing in nearly crystal clear water was not quite so easy. Kaldur merely twisted to the side, letting her flop onto the water beside him harmlessly. Spluttering, she ended up sitting, the water rising to her shoulders.

"A valiant attempt, but you will have to try better next time." Kaldur said good-naturedly.

"You can count on it." Ski'Lira snapped back, grin still on her face. "I was just… testing the waters."

Robin cackled a little at her pun before cupping the water with his hand and splashing her straight in the face. Spluttering again, she narrowed her eyes at him as she suddenly found herself the primary target of the splash war. Shifting positions so she was settled on her knees, she extended her wings as far as they could go. Curling them slightly, she flapped them inward with all the strength that she could muster, sending a literal wall of water careening towards the team.

M'Gann let out a startled noise as she and the boys were all swept the short distance back to shore while Ski'Lira stood up, victorious.

H

"HG, I don't think that's-" Robin cut himself off as the Thanagarian chomped through the half-cooked hot dog poised on the end of the metal fork in her hand. "Never mind"

Hawkgirl merely rolled her eyes and continued eating.

M'Gann was inspecting her own hot dog dubiously. "What are these made out of, anyway?"

Opening her mouth to reply, Hawkgirl suddenly found herself speechless as Robin shoved an empty bun into her mouth. "You don't want to know." Robin told M'Gann. "Trust me."

Looking at her meal with far more trepidation than she had before, M'Gann took a tentative bite. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she took another, more enthusiastic bite. "This is so good!"

"Human cuisine at its finest." Robin watched with amusement as both Kaldur and Superboy followed M'Gann's lead, consuming their first ever hot dogs.

By this point, Ski'Lira had managed to chew through her improvised gag. "This is far from the _finest_."

"Don't mind her, she just has a weird obsession with breakfast foods."

"I do not have an obsession!" Ski'Lira immediately snapped back.

"Agree to disagree." Robin smirked at her as she lapsed into silence.

H

After they'd eaten, the team decided to set up the volleyball net so they could play a few games. Since the teams were uneven, they continuously switched out who was actively playing, with the odd man out acting as a referee. In order to make the game fair, all powers were off the table and enhanced strength was to be restricted.

Though, that rule wasn't _always_ followed.

M'Gann fairly obviously used her telekinesis to alter the ball's trajectory a few times, while one of Superboy's spikes had resulted in a four foot crater in the sand with the volleyball lying innocuously in the center.

No hard feelings were had from the breach of rules, as it was all in good fun after all.

Their game came to an abrupt end as Robin sent the ball hurtling straight towards Superboy's face and instead of bumping the ball back into the air, he reflexively slapped it away. The ball went sailing straight to his right and out over the ocean.

Aqualad had graciously offered to swim out and retrieve it, but by the time he returned, they'd all mutually decided to move onto another activity.

H

"All you have to do is pack up a bunch of wet sand into the bucket, flip it over and ta-da! Sand castle." Robin gestured to his malformed structure with a proud grin.

"Just like in the beach episode of-" M'Gann began, suddenly cutting herself off. "Um… Just like I've seen on Earth television!"

Robin gave her a bit of a weird look, but didn't enquire further, instead focusing on refining his technique. Deciding to take a quick trip back into Mount Justice to retrieve a couple of buckets and some plastic cups to teach the others make sand castles had turned out to be an excellent idea. Superboy was the only one not currently engaged in the activity, opting instead to watch.

Once his castle was finished, a neat little structure with multiple towers, he turned to see his teammate's progress. M'Gann was making a good effort, using her telekinesis to keep some of the crumbling sand together while digging out a moat around her castle with her hands.

Robin's jaw dropped when he looked off to his right to check on Hawkgirl. She'd apparently roped Aqualad into helping her, and the two were in the process of flipping _an entire garbage can_ full of wet sand upside down. On her count, the two lifted the can up, revealing a three foot tall cylinder of packed sand.

"I don't think I've ever seen sand castles quite this large outside of professional competitions." Aqualad mused as the two started shoveling _more_ sand into the now empty trash can with a couple of spades they'd grabbed from inside.

"When you're taught how to make sand castles by a Green Lantern who insists on using his power ring to do the job right, you tend to develop standards of quality." Ski'Lira answered easily.

Rolling his obscured eyes, Robin turned back to his own creation. Once he'd deemed it acceptable, he decided to check on Superboy, who had been… more silent than usual in the last few minutes.

The reason for this was quickly discovered.

Superboy had fallen fast asleep, his closed eyes covered by his sunglasses and his chest rising and falling deeply and evenly.

Waving his arms a little, Robin quickly gained Hawkgirl's attention, pointing out their slumbering comrade. She nodded at him and smirked a little.

It was at that point that Robin made a mistake. He took his eyes off of Hawkgirl for thirty seconds.

M'Gann was the one to notice what had happened first, letting out a short squeak of shock. Whipping his head around, Robin froze as he realized what had happened. Hawkgirl was standing over Superboy's newly sand-covered body, empty garbage can held in her grip above his prone form.

Unprompted, M'Gann put together a mental link (sans Superboy, of course).

" **Why would you do that?"** M'Gann demanded, stumbling over and casting a concerned look at the half-Kryptonian.

" **Burying other people in the sand is part of the fun of going to the beach!"** Hawkgirl immediately defended.

"… **She's not wrong."** Robin had to hesitantly admit, putting a hand on his chin in thought. **"You know, we do have a rare opportunity here."**

It was at that point that Kaldur scooped up another shovelful of sand and put it on the pile. When M'Gann looked at him incredulously, he merely shrugged.

" **It's not hurting him."** Robin supplied.

Chewing on her lip in debate, M'Gann let out a small sigh before smiling and dashing over to retrieve her own bucket to help add to the pile. With their combined efforts, Superboy was soon buried in a pile of sand as high as Kaldur's waist. Said Atlantean had used his hydrokinesis to bring water from the shore to their creation, making sure it wouldn't fall so easily.

Satisfied with their work, the group all stepped back far enough away so as to not disturb Superboy and started to debate what to do next.

"Don't people usually… sunbathe?" M'Gann asked.

"Humans do." Hawkgirl reminded. "Out of our group, the only one capable of tanning is Robin, but he's more likely to burn first."

Robin shrugged. "I'm wearing sunscreen, so it wouldn't matter anyway."

The Martian teen went to Ski'Lira for input. "Well, do you have a suggestion?"

"I do." Ski'Lira nodded before turning to Kaldur. "Want to spar?"

M'Gann spluttered a little. "Um… Well, can't we hold off on fighting for… one day?" She asked sheepishly. "It's just so peaceful…"

If they could have seen her eyes, the death glare that ensued probably would have melted M'Gann on the spot. As it stood, they had to guess based on the sudden frown that appeared on her lips, the tightening of her shoulders, and the slight flaring of her wings.

Kaldur quickly stepped forward to diffuse the situation, grabbing the Thanagarian by the shoulder in case she decided to suddenly pounce. "We can spar further down the beach so as not to disturb you. You can keep an eye on Superboy."

M'Gann nodded, amendable to the compromise, shuffling over towards Superboy and retrieving a beach towel and laying it down next to him. Meanwhile, Kaldur and Ski'Lira walked further down the shore, with Robin tagging along. At their questioning looks, he smirked and said, "Like I would miss this."

H

"Shall we set boundaries?" Kaldur asked as he and Ski'Lira circled one another, both ankle deep in water.

"No weapons" She immediately replied. "If I can't have my mace, you can't use your water bearers."

"Fair enough." He tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement. "No serious injuries, we have to remain mission ready."

Hawkgirl pouted a little. "Do you want a safeword too?"

Kaldur paused for a moment, caught off guard before realizing she was joking. "Perhaps we will leave that to our referee. Robin?"

"Yeah, I'll call it if you two get too into it." Robin agreed from his place sitting cross-legged on the sand. "Wait, no, let me rephrase. I'll call it when _Hawkgirl_ gets too into it."

"I'll be the first to admit… He's not wrong." Hawkgirl said.

They circled for another few seconds before Hawkgirl launched into motion, throwing a fist straight at his torso that he barely managed to catch.

The following exchange of blows was a strange mix of brutal and graceful. It was clear pretty much from the start that neither one would be going down so easily. Throughout the spar, Robin continually switched allegiances, calling out shots or incoming hits for both Hawkgirl _and_ Aqualad. From beginning to end, the spar lasted around fifteen minutes with neither emerging a clear victor.

Though they'd definitely both have bruises.

When they stopped, they had both drifted so they were waist deep in the water, a little further from shore. Reaching up to wring the water out of her hair, Ski'Lira started wading her way back to the shore.

"If I may be blunt…" Kaldur began, walking alongside her far more easily than she was. "I had not expected you to be so comfortable with the water, considering…" His gaze drifted towards her slightly waterlogged wings.

Hawkgirl gave him a _look_ as she stepped onto dry sand, pointedly shaking her wings and ridding them of the moisture that clung to the feathers.

Kaldur's eyebrows knit together. "I'm sorry, did I… say something to offend you?"

Ski'Lira abruptly snorted before bursting out into full-blown laughter.

A nearby Robin decided to take pity upon the poor, clueless Atlantean. "The Hawk's nest in St. Roch, Louisiana." He tilted his head towards Hawkgirl, looking for confirmation for his next question. "Your house is right on the coast, right?"

"Yes" Ski'Lira affirmed, still smiling. "And even if not, I still wouldn't mind the water. Thanagarians are very capable swimmers." Seeing another dubious look cast at her wings, she elaborated. "My feathers don't retain water."

"Just like a duck." Robin crowed happily.

Letting out a low growl, she whirled on the smaller teen. "You'd better _duck_ before you find yourself missing a head."

Robin let out a mocking cackle before taking off at a run down the beach. With a war cry, Hawkgirl took off after him, the two tearing down the beach.

Naturally, Robin's persistent cackling and Hawkgirl's screaming woke Superboy, who was _very_ confused as to why he awoke buried in a pile of sand.

M'Gann gave him a sympathetic look before helping him shovel sand off of himself.

Kaldur shook his head, a fond smile on his face, amused by the antics of his teammates.

H

Ski'Lira and Kaldur had been the last ones inside, taking advantage of the beautiful evening in their respective element. Kaldur had gone for a swim, while Ski'Lira had taken to the air, letting the wind rid her body of the sand and saltwater that clung to it.

During that time was also the only instance where the Thanagarian managed to get the better of the Atlantean. She'd caught sight of his dark shape in the glittering ocean below, momentarily stationary for some unknown reason. Seeing her opportunity, she immediately folded in her wings and dove, like an osprey catching sight of a fish.

She slipped into the water with a minimal splash, her trajectory taking her down just far enough that she could grab Aqualad around the torso. Flapping her wings with as much strength as she could muster, she pulled them both back to the surface and up into the air. She held him tightly around his middle, forcing him to look straight ahead.

Kaldur was laughing, despite his defeat. "It seems you proved me wrong, after all."

"Never underestimate a motivated Thanagarian" She shot back. "Ready to head back to the Cave?"

"I believe so." He answered.

"Good, see you there!" Without any more preamble, she dropped him, letting him fall into the ocean with a hearty splash as she flew back to the exterior access point for Mount Justice.

When she entered, she was surprised to see that Superboy and M'Gann were both in uniform, with Red Tornado present with them.

"Mandatory team meeting in ten minutes" Red Tornado said succinctly.

Nodding tersely, she touched down and gave a final shake of her wings, heading off into the hallways to shower and change.

H

The weight of her armor was a reassuring presence as she stepped back into the main hub of Mount Justice, clearly the last to arrive (apart from Wally, of course). She was unconcerned with that fact, considering she had only taken eight minutes, most of those being used to towel dry her hair.

Mere seconds after she took a place standing at attention at Aqualad's side, the nearby zeta tube whirred into life.

" _Recognized: Batman, 02. Recognized: Green Arrow, 08. Recognized: Artemis, B08."_

Every single member of the team looked with startled glances towards the entrance, immediately catching sight of this 'Artemis' that was currently flanked by both Batman and Green Arrow.

If the green hue of her costume and the arrow decal on her midriff-baring top didn't betray her as a protégé of Green Arrow, then the bow in her hand and quiver strapped to her back certainly did. Dark gray eyes were narrowed as she visibly scrutinized the other teen heroes. But it was her long blonde hair pulled up into a ponytail that _really_ caught Hawkgirl's attention.

Any statements she could have made were swiftly cut off as Batman suddenly spoke. "Team, this is Artemis, Green Arrow's current apprentice. She'll be a new addition to your team."

"What?" Robin spoke up first, taking a step forward. "I thought you were _joking_!"

Batman leveled a look at his partner that clearly said 'Do I _seem_ like I'm joking?'

"I mean no offense, but why?" Aqualad asked, crossing his arms and raising a brow. "We have just found our balance as a team, will adding a new member not compromise all the work we've done?"

Batman leveled his unflinching gaze towards the teen. "If you find yourself so uneasily balanced by a new addition, then maybe you haven't accomplished as much as you thought."

Hawkgirl actively resisted the urge to both laugh at Aqualad and run over and demand a high-five from Batman. She blamed Hal's influence on her character for the latter response.

Green Arrow, however, had no such qualms and met her eyes with a quiet smirk, holding up his hand for an air-five. Hawkgirl quickly returned the gesture, making sure no one caught sight of it.

"Artemis is good. Really good." Green Arrow assured them, putting a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder and steering her closer to the team. "I'm sure you'll all get along well."

"Well, it'll be nice to have another girl around!" M'Gann supplied cheerily, stepping forward first. "I'm M'Gann M'orzz, or Miss Martian, it's nice to meet you!"

"Artemis" The blonde replied, looking a little taken aback. "You certainly seem… chipper."

Robin seemed to have pushed back his ire, or at least set it aside for the moment. "Don't worry, Hawkgirl's here to balance her out." He jerked a thumb towards the stone-faced Thanagarian in question. "I'm Robin. That's Aqualad and the brooding guy over there is Superboy."

The Atlantean inclined his head a little, but offered no more than that.

"You can call me Hawkgirl." Ski'Lira stepped forward, looking down at the new girl.

"Wow, you really do take the whole 'hawk' thing seriously. Do you eat mice too?"

It was a good thing that neither party had offered a handshake, else Artemis might suddenly find herself sans one working hand. Hawkgirl tilted her head down slightly, eyes narrowing behind the lenses of her mask as she pointedly flared her wings a little.

"I can't tell whether you're trying to intimidate me or are merely terrible at first impressions." Hawkgirl deadpanned. "Either way, I suggest you reevaluate _very_ quickly."

Artemis apparently had enough common sense to back off very quickly, though Green Arrow's frantic attempts to silently signal his apprentice to back down probably helped. Honestly, Hawkgirl was a little disappointed when Artemis disengaged and was drawn into an explanation of the chain of command. She'd been hoping the young archer would fight back.

She took the opportunity to amble over to the Leaguers present.

"So, this is the one from Gotham Academy?" She decided to get straight to the point.

"She is." Batman answered.

"And can we trust her?"

"Of course!" Green Arrow piped up. "Don't worry, the League thoroughly vetted her and she's sincere."

"Were my parents included in this interview process?"

A slight nod of the head from Batman was all the confirmation she needed. She trusted the League's judgement, but most of all she trusted her parents.

But it wasn't because they were her parents and she was biased, it was because they had both been thoroughly trained to spot infiltrators and liars and were very rarely wrong.

" _Recognized: Kid Flash, B03_ " As soon as the telltale light of the Zeta Tube faded away, Wally was striding forward with an ecstatic pep to his step.

"The Wall-Man is here!" He announced happily, bogged down with a variety of beach paraphernalia, and already clad in his swimsuit. Ski'Lira could smell the sunscreen he'd slathered all over himself from all the way across the room, a testament to both her superior olfactory senses and the sheer amount he was probably wearing at the time. "Now, let's get this party star-!"

His excitement was cut short as he abruptly tripped, sending everything careening out of his grasp. The beach ball he'd been toting bounced up and over an expressionless Batman.

"-ted." Wally finished, who picked himself up off the floor with a groan.

"Wall-Man, huh?" Artemis stepped forward boldly, casting a skeptical look the speedster's way. "I love the uniform. What exactly _are_ your powers?"

Wally glanced around at the other heroes in the room. "Uh… Who's this?"

"Artemis, your new teammate."

The speedster didn't miss a beat. "Kid Flash. Never heard of you."

In an attempt to prevent another possible fight, Green Arrow stepped up and wrapped an arm around the blonde teen's shoulders as a show of support. "Um, she's my new protégé."

That revelation did nothing to curb Kid Flash's rising ire. "What happened to your old one?"

As if the universe itself was conspiring against them, the computer suddenly chimed in, announcing another new arrival. " _Recognized"_ Everyone turned to face the gaping maw of the tunnel. _"Speedy, B06"_

"Well, for starters, he doesn't go by _Speedy_ anymore. Call me Red Arrow." Roy Harper, clad in his new black and red uniform, kept a steady pace as he moved to join the group.

"Roy…" Green Arrow detached himself from Artemis so he could properly address him. "You look-"

"Replaceable" Roy frowned.

"It's not like that." Green Arrow insisted. "You told me you were going solo."

"So why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?"

Artemis moved to stand in front of her mentor, glaring up at her fellow archer. "Yes, she can."

Flailing his arms a little, Wally suddenly shouted, "Who _are_ you?!"

"I'm his niece."

"She's my niece."

Both Artemis and Green Arrow traded a look, realizing they'd spoken in unison.

Ski'Lira, who was content with maintaining her silence at the moment, turned her lens-covered eyes towards Batman, tilting her head in a manner she hoped got her point across. _That_ was the cover story they were going for?

Very quickly, Robin established himself as being just as skeptical, a smug look on his face. "Another niece?" Judging by his comment earlier, Ski'Lira was ninety five percent sure that Robin knew very well who Artemis was. He was probably just enjoying his attempt at passive aggressive revenge for the League's intervention and forcing a new member on them.

Aqualad, ever the peacekeeper, spoke up and headed towards Roy. "But she is not your replacement. We have always wanted you on the team… and we have no quota on archers."

The moment was immediately ruined by Wally. "And if we did, you know who we'd pick."

Artemis scoffed a little. "Whatever, Baywatch. I'm here to stay."

Quickly taking back control of the situation, Aqualad addressed Roy once more. "You came to us for a reason."

"Yeah" Red Arrow assured. Ski'Lira noticed that a little bit of the tension bled from his shoulders as the topic was changed. "A reason named Dr. Serling Roquette."

The moment he heard the name, Robin activated the holo-screen on his glove, a few taps of the keys causing similar ones to appear floating in the hub around them. Images of the woman in question were displayed, a pretty blonde with short-cropped hair and a stern set to her mouth. Surrounding her visage were examples of her contributions to the field of science. "Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City…" Robin read straight off the screen in front of him. "Vanished two weeks ago."

" _Abducted_ two weeks ago." Red Arrow corrected. "But the League of Shadows."

Looking up, Robin's eyes went wide at the prospect. "Whoa. You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?"

"Hardcore…" Kid Flash beamed, nearly vibrating at the prospect.

But the speedster's hopes were quickly dashed by the next words out of Roy's mouth. "I already rescued her." Striding forward towards the screens, he pulled up one of his own. "Only one problem. The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon." The screen displayed a tube-like device from different angles, as well as a small insect-like robot. "Doc calls it The Fog. Comprised of millions of microscopic robots, nanotech infiltrators capable of disintegrating anything in their path… concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But its true purpose isn't mere destruction. It's theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows, providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting-edge science, and tech."

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking… Yeah… Sounds like the Shadows." Artemis' casual knowledge of the League of Shadows raised more than a few eyebrows.

"Like you know anything about the Shadows." Wally immediately denied her claim of familiarity with the organization's modus operandi. "Who are you?!" He exploded again, flailing even more this time.

"Roquette's working on a virus to render The Fog inert." Red Arrow interrupted.

"But if the Shadows know she can do that…" The Boy Wonder trailed off.

"They'll target her. Right now, she's off the grid." With a flick of his finger, Roy pulled up an image of a familiar-looking school onto his screen. "I stashed her at the local high school's computer lab."

That information drop brought in the first verbal contribution from one of the three present members of the Justice League. "You left her _alone_?" Green Arrow spluttered.

Red Arrow was nonplussed by the underlying accusation. "She's safe enough for now."

"Then let's you and I keep her that way." Oliver took short steps towards his, now former, apprentice.

Ignoring his pleading look, Red Arrow scoffed. "You and I? Don't you wanna take your new protégé?"

Batman grabbed Green Arrow by the shoulder, stopping him from moving further forward.

"You brought this to the team." The eldest archer in the room reminded him. "It's their mission, which means it's hers now too."

"Then my job's done." Red Arrow detached himself from the group, heading straight back for the Zeta access point. On his way, he passed by Hawkgirl, pausing long enough to address her. "What, finally speechless? You _always_ have something to say."

Hawkgirl remained pointedly silent, not even allowing her facial expression to change.

Growling from frustration, he broke away from her. "Harpy"

She only smirked once his back was completely to her. "Nice new outfit, Scarlet."

Judging by the sudden twitch of his arm, Roy had barely managed to stop himself from flipping her off.

" _Recognized: Speedy-"_

"That's Red Arrow, B06. Update." Roy snapped, disappearing from sight.

H

HAPPY HARBOR  
AUGUST 8TH, 2010  
21:53 EDT

Crouched on the roof of Happy Harbor High School, Hawkgirl had a perfect vantage point to keep a watchful eye over the grounds. As long as she kept focused, nothing would escape her notice.

The Team had split up in order to most effectively protect their charge. M'Gann was on the top of the building across the street, providing a second pair of eyes in the sky. Superboy prowled around the grounds, while Aqualad, Kid Flash, Artemis, and Robin remained inside the school with Dr. Roquette.

Once they were all properly settled in their positions, Ski'Lira felt the familiar tingle in the back of her head that heralded M'Gann's telepathic abilities.

" **Everyone online?"** The Martian asked.

" **Ugh, this is weird."** Artemis sounded more than a little disturbed by the mental intrusion, a sentiment that they all shared. However, their first experience with M'Gann speaking straight into their minds had been far less pleasant.

" **And distracting."** Dr. Roquette, on the other hand, seemed more irritated by the link than anything else. **"Coding is a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less RAM than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen-think in my skull?!"**

" **I sympathize entirely."** Hawkgirl said, hoping her words instilled enough of a subtle warning for them to remain on task and not abuse the link.

A few seconds later, she realized that she'd been far too subtle and the warning had gone unheeded.

" **Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you?"** Kid Flash snapped.

" **Pot. Kettle."** Artemis immediately bit back. **"Have you met?"**

" **Hey, hey, I do** _ **not**_ **need attitude who drove Red Arrow off the team!"**

" **That is** _ **so**_ **not on me!"**

" **Fate of the world at stake!"** Roquette interrupted with a mental shout.

" **She started it."** Kid Flash mumbled.

Blowing out an irritated breath, Hawkgirl started walking towards the other side of the roof. **"Artemis, your energy would be better spent patrolling the perimeter instead of verbally sparring with Kid Flash. You can fight later. For now, our priority is keeping Dr. Roquette safe and focused enough to continue her job."**

" **Thank you!"** Getting the distinct impression the doctor had thrown her hands up in the air along with her pronouncement, Ski'Lira smirked a little in satisfaction.

" **Fine."** Artemis grumbled, but she also seemed a little relieved at the change.

For a scant few moments, the mental link was quiet. At least until Robin broke it to reprimand Wally a little more.

" **You might cut her some slack. It** _ **was**_ **her arrow that saved your butt against Amazo."**

" **What?"** The speedster was clearly confused by this new information. **"No, that was Speedy's- I mean Red Arrow's arrow, right?"**

" **Not so much…"**

" **I can confirm this fact."** Hawkgirl added. She knew she was being a little hypocritical at the moment for using the mental link for a private conversation while they were out on a mission, but the sooner Kid Flash realized Artemis was here to stay, the better… and the less he would complain. **"I saw her. And… technically, Red Arrow was never part of this team, so she didn't, in fact, drive him out."**

"… **Hmph. Well, I'm still not giving her the satisfaction."** He insisted.

" **You know I can still hear you!"** Artemis piped up.

Kid Flash let out an unintelligible noise of frustration before falling silent.

Sighing, Dr. Roquette spoke, sounding thoroughly exasperated. **"I couldn't get the Justice League?"**

Hawkgirl couldn't help but let out a short laugh at that, before refocusing and mentally withdrawing from the link. She could still plainly hear chatter in the background, but it wasn't her primary focus.

" **The virus won't be of much use if we cannot find the weapon."** Aqualad was saying, addressing the blonde scientist. **"Can you track it?"**

" **My utility fog is not a weapon. It's** _ **science**_ **. Brilliant science. And of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and 'Assassinate Me' written in neon."**

" **We will protect you."** Aqualad quickly assured her, his statement saturated in sincerity.

"… **Tracking the Fog now."**

H

Hawkgirl's newest perch resulted in her crouched on the ledge of the roof, looking very much like an out of place gargoyle. From her vantage point, she could plainly see Miss Martian and Artemis standing like sentries on either side of the wrought metal gate.

A slight huff of exertion and a whooshing noise heralded Superboy's sudden high jump, his trajectory taking him up and over the school (and ergo, right over Hawkgirl's head), landing next to the two teen girls on the ground. His landing was more silent than usual, a development that made Ski'Lira feel a spike of pride.

" **Mmm, that boy."** Artemis said suddenly, sounding very much like a dog drooling over a bone.

" **He can hear you."** M'Gann reminded her, turning to her fellow perimeter guard with an irritated expression on her face. **"We can** _ **all**_ **hear you."**

The newest member of the team was unrepentant. **"Oh, I know."**

Hawkgirl had to actively resist the urge to brain herself with her mace. **"Why does there have to be** _ **two**_ **of them? Just Wally was too much** _ **already**_ **!"**

" **Hey!"** Wally protested.

Ski'Lira didn't dignify his exclamation with a response, instead deciding to address the archer directly. **"Artemis, you will keep this flirtatious behavior off the battlefield** _ **or else**_ **."**

The blonde gave a mental snort. **"Or else? I thought you Hawks were supposed to be** _ **scary**_ **."**

A wolfish grin appeared on the Thanagarian's face, not that anyone could see it. **"I was restraining myself from going into gruesome detail out of respect for our teammates and Dr. Roquette. Don't worry, I'll be sure to deliver the entire speech in person once the mission has reached its conclusion."**

Artemis lapsed into silence, the mental link equivalent of blanching.

There was barely any time to relish in her victory before Aqualad updated the team on the mission's progress. **"Miss Martian, Dr. Roquette has located The Fog. Reconfigure the bioship so that Robin and Superboy can pursue."**

Hawkgirl kept a careful watch over the proceedings as Miss Martian called down her ship, uncloaking it in the process.

" **Ready"** M'Gann affirmed, giving both Robin and Superboy the go ahead to board. They both ran in and disappeared from sight, the ship taking off with them both in tow. M'Gann and Artemis walked back to their previous posts just as Hawkgirl heard the slightest rustling from the bushes.

Moving silently, she detached herself from the ledge of the roof and crept closer to the source of the noise, eyes scanning the area for the possible source. Based upon the foliage and area, she wasn't ruling out that it was a harmless animal, but she didn't want to take any chances.

This process would have been easier if her teammates hadn't started using the link to perpetuate their arguments again.

" **You embarrassed Superboy."** Clearly intent upon chastising Artemis, M'Gann sounded genuinely irate on the half-Kryptonian's behalf.

" **Didn't hear him say that."** Artemis pointed out.

" **Must you challenge everyone?"**

" **Where I come from, that's how you survive."**

Thoroughly pissed off by this point, Hawkgirl interrupted before their bickering could spiral any further. **"Funny, it is the same where I come from. But instead of petty rivalries and pointless arguing, we actually take** _ **action**_ **. Unless you two-"** A dark shape burst into her line of sight, diving in through a window and into the school **"We have an intruder."**

With those four words, it was as if a switch had been flipped. Focus snapped back to the mission at hand and Aqualad immediately started barking out orders. **"Everyone, keep alert. Hawkgirl, describe what you saw."**

" **Not much."** Ski'Lira admitted as she ran for the roof access door. Normally, she probably would have just flown down and broken a window to get in, but after they'd destroyed a good chunk of Gotham Academy Batman had given them a lecture about minimizing damage. Hence, using the door like a normal person it was. **"Not visibly armed, but no doubt carrying weaponry. It's a safe bet to assume it's one of the Shadows."**

Very little time had passed when Aqualad spoke up again, sounding frantic. **"M'Gann, Kid, Artemis, Hawkgirl, we're under attack in the computer lab."**

" **Already en route."** Bursting out of the stairwell, Hawkgirl sprinted down the halls of the school. Turning a corner, her booted feet slid a little on the freshly cleaned tile floor, but she quickly stopped herself before she ended up ramming into the nearest set of lockers.

When she burst into the darkened computer lab, Aqualad was slammed onto the ground by the assassin, a female wearing a strange grinning cat mask. Hawkgirl darted in front of Roquette just after Aqualad managed to deflect a thrown sai that impacted into the wall right next to Roquette's face. Keeping her pinned against the wall, Hawkgirl put her back to the doctor, slipping into a defensive position. Flaring out her wings, she created an effected meat shield to defend against any more projectiles.

"Poison slowing you down?" The female assassin mocked.

Aqualad didn't hesitate as he rose back to his feet, engaging her once more, ending up locking their weapons together. "Jellyfish toxin… I'm largely immune."

Drawing her head back, the Shadow slammed her masked face into Aqualad's with full force, knocking him back down to the ground with a cry. "Largely." Raising her other said up, she prepared to bring it down on Aqualad's prone form.

 _Clang!_

The sai was thrown out of her hand, hit with an arrow courtesy of Artemis. Said archer was poised in the doorway, another arrow nocked and ready to fire. "Don't. Move." She started making slow steps further into the room, keeping her attention trained on the assassin as Aqualad managed to stand back up, glowing swords at the ready.

Hawkgirl raised her mace, preparing herself.

"Heh. This gig's getting interesting." With a flick of her wrist, the intruder unveiled a collapsed katana. Swinging it pointedly a couple of times, she dropped into a fighting stance. Wasting no time, Artemis started firing arrows in quick succession, forcing the assassin to slice and deflect them away.

Kid Flash and M'Gann abruptly burst into the room, the former of which smelling strongly of chlorine.

The assassin quickly realized she was outnumbered, turning her masked face towards M'Gann, who was hovering next to Aqualad. "… Maybe a little to interesting." She mused to herself. Palming a smoke bomb into her hand, she slammed it onto the ground, creating a suffocating loud of black smoke. Kid Flash darted forward in a last ditch attempt to nab her, only to crash straight into Artemis.

They all turned to look at the fading smoke.

"Gone." Kid Flash said.

Seeing as the threat was absent for the moment, Hawkgirl drew back away from Roquette, folding her wings back into a neutral position.

Once she was freed from her improvised feathery prison, Roquette immediately started yelling at Aqualad. "She's getting away! You're _letting_ her get away!"

"This is all your fault!" Kid Flash immediately whirled on Artemis with an accusatory tone. Artemis moved to stand in front of him, hands perched on her hips and eyes slightly narrowed. "You were on perimeter! How'd that Shadow get in?!"

"That's not really fair." M'Gann pointed out, trying to placate both parties before things spiraled into an endless argument again. "Hawkgirl and I were outside, too."

"Outside being distracted by _her_." Angling his head, he smiled at the Martian. "Besides, I can't be mad at you. **You gave me mouth to mouth."**

" **We heard that!"** Literally everyone else on the mental link chimed back in unison.

"Dang it!" The speedster face-palmed and stalked away.

Stepping forward a little more, Miss Martian quickly turned their newest teammate's attention to her. "I didn't do half as well during _my_ first battle." Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, her smile widened a little more. "And I know you can't have been Green Arrow's sidekick for very long."

"Focus, everyone" Aqualad snapped, earning a little mental cheer from Hawkgirl. "The Shadows _will_ be back."

He was suddenly interrupted by the voice of a frantic Robin on the comm unit. "Robin to Aqualad. We're over Philadelphia. We've located the Shadows' next target, S.T.A.R. Labs. We're too late… It's _destroyed_. Totally destroyed. The Fog decimated it. This is _bad._ S.T.A.R. Labs is cutting-edge science and now their secrets are in the hands of the enemy… What's our next move?"

Aqualad's pale green eyes fell on Roquette. "Re-scan for The Fog. Find it." He turned to address the others gathered in the room. "We're moving the doctor."

H

Hawkgirl had to admit, the improvised plan that Aqualad had come up with was pretty slick. The Thanagarian had quickly been chosen as Roquette's personal (and sole) guard while Aqualad baited the Shadows.

"You're much more… professional than your teammates." Hawkgirl blinked a couple of times in surprise as she'd realized Roquette had willingly broken the pervading quiet to address her.

"Thank you." She replied succinctly, lapsing back into silence. She felt a little spike of pride seeing the small, genuine smile that appeared on the scientist's face.

" **Stop it, both of you."** Aqualad ordered over the mental link.

" **What?!"** Kid Flash and Artemis both protested in unison.

" **I can** _ **hear**_ **you glaring."** Their leader fell silent for a good few minutes after that, before chiming back in. **"I'm on my way back to the café now. They've taken the bait."**

Hawkgirl waited patiently until she heard Aqualad's approach and his subsequent quiet knock on the back door. Letting him in, she headed back to Roquette's side while Aqualad checked the windows, peeking through the blinds to make sure he wasn't followed.

Dr. Roquette looked up from her screen, gaining their attention. "I've almost got it."

As Aqualad opened his mouth to say something presumably encouraging, reassuring, or a combination of the two, Hawkgirl held up a hand. Tilted her head to the side, she closed her eyes to concentrate on her auditory senses more effectively. From a point further down the street, she could hear rapidly approach footfalls, accompanied with voices and the distinct sound of firing arrows. "Incoming."

Hawkgirl slipped her mace into her grip, moving a little closer to Roquette.

Not long after, both she and Aqualad heard the distinct sound of boots on the roof above them.

"We have company." He said, more for Roquette's benefit than theirs.

"Uploading now." Roquette replied succinctly. "And by the way, you said you'd protect me."

Hawkgirl thought that was a little unnecessary, but to each their own. Something clanked against the tile floor behind them, and they both whirled just as the smoke bomb went off, filling the back half of the shop with smoke. A second noise sounded behind them, and they both switched their attention just as a series of darts impacted into each of them. Aqualad earned three darts all over his torso, while Hawkgirl earned two in her chest.

"Let's test the limit of your jellyfish immunity, shall we?" The Shadow assassin from before cooed, goading Aqualad.

The Atlantean surged forward to engage her, only to be quickly brought down as the toxin overtaxed his system. He dropped to the ground, breathing labored and motionless. "There. Limit tested… Now, Doctor-" The assassin cut herself off as she caught sight of Hawkgirl still standing. "How are you still upright?"

Grabbing the two darts, she tore them out of her chest without so much as batting an eye, gripping her mace in both hands and holding it in front of her. "Your Earth poisons are weak. I expected more from a member of the League of Shadows."

Twirling her sai in her hand, the Shadow darted forward. Ski'Lira managed to deflect the initial strike, the metal clanging harmlessly against her Nth metal mace. The assassin snapped her knee up into Hawkgirl's abdomen as she pulled her weapon back.

Swinging down with a cry, Hawkgirl forced the cat-masked woman to duck and roll to avoid the bone-breaking hit, ducking down shortly after to avoid another swipe aimed at her head. Grabbing onto the Thanagarian's ankle, she tugged with all of her strength.

Hawkgirl didn't topple to the ground as the woman had apparently hoped, but her balance was upset enough that she couldn't dodge the next swipe from the sai. The metal sliced through her sleeve and created a bloody cut on her forearm.

Stepping back to disengage, Ski'Lira noticed that the edges of the wound were tinged with an unnatural sickly green. "Hm. More poison?" She asked as she and the assassin started to circle one another.

"I think you'll find this one _far_ deadlier." The assassin replied, sounding thoroughly smug.

Hawkgirl couldn't help but smirk. "… Cute."

With a single, small movement, the head of her mace popped off of the handle revealing its hidden chain. The spiked ball dropped to the tile with a heavy thud. Jerking the handle up, Hawkgirl started to swing around her mace in an effortless-looking circle, keeping the assassin at bay.

"You can't hold me back forever." The Shadow taunted.

"I wasn't planning on it." Suddenly halting her movement, the spiked ball surged forward and slammed into the assassin's shoulder, sending her reeling backwards. She quickly turned the fall into a backflip, and Hawkgirl could practically feel the irate glare.

Grasping onto the chain with her other handle, she allowed more links to spill out of the handle, wielding it more like a meteor hammer than a flail at this point. Whipping the chain to the side, Hawkgirl attempted to catch the assassin's legs, only for her opponent to deftly jump over it. Following through with the momentum, she allowed her weapon to spin her around in a circle, going for another hit.

The Shadow let herself fall backwards, balancing her weight on her arms as she lashed out with both feet, her boots striking Ski'Lira straight in the stomach. This time, she was successfully sent to the ground. Quick as a viper, the Shadow pulled out her katana once more and slammed the blade straight through one of Hawkgirl's wings, pinning her to the ground. Apparently whoever she was knew enough about bird anatomy to pin her where there was plenty of skin and muscle.

Letting out a growl from the sudden flash of pain, Ski'Lira couldn't do much more than glare and snarl at the woman as she loomed over her.

"Hm. You're good. But not good enough. Maybe one day you'll manage to land more than _one_ hit on me."

Ski'Lira thrashed from side to side, her unpinned wing flapping uselessly as she tried to twist and release herself, but to no avail.

The Shadow stalked up to Roquette, practically radiating an aura of superiority as she pressed the tip of her sai to the doctor's fragile throat. But a sudden beeping alarm from the nearby computer diverted her attention. "So you finished the virus, eliminating the reason for your elimination." The deadly woman leaned in even closer. "Though not the entertainment value." With a firm push, she sent Dr. Roquette sprawling, laying back on her hands with a fearful look on her face. "Lucky for you, my orders are clear. You live to program another day. After all, doctor… The Shadows may find another use for you."

With that ominous warning, she left like the smiling cat that had gotten the canary.

Dr. Roquette stared wide-eyed for a few moments before she managed to shake herself out of her stupor. Scrambling to her hands and knees, she crawled over to Hawkgirl, awkwardly hovering her hands over the pinned wing. "I'm sorry, I don't know what to do! I'm not this kind of doctor… a people doctor, not a vet… That came out wrong."

Gritting her teeth, Ski'Lira leveled an unimpressed look at her. "Just pull it out. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. This isn't the first time I've been stabbed." Ski'Lira grinned wryly. "I've gotten a harpoon through a wing before. This is a pinprick compared to that."

"Okay… Okay, okay, okay." Standing up to give herself a little more leverage, Dr. Roquette wrapped both hands around the hilt of the katana and jerked it up. Once it was released from the floor, it slid out through the wing easily, ruby red blood dripping off the gleaming metallic edge.

Startled, the scientist dropped the weapon onto the ground with a harsh clatter.

Ski'Lira stood up easily, giving her wing a couple of experimental stretches. She certainly wouldn't be flying home, but the wound itself was minor. Honestly, it looked worse than it actually was thanks to the blood staining the feathers around it.

Now that she was freed, the Thanagarian turned her attention to the half-conscious Atlantean on the floor. First things first, she kneeled down next to him and pulled out all of the darts still embedded in his torso. Meanwhile, she activated her comm link.

"Hawkgirl to Robin, what's your status?"

"Fog neutralized" Robin replied. "Superboy and I are headed back to Happy Harbor now. How are things on your end?"

"Roquette's alive. It seems as if this mission was a success. See you soon." Signing off quickly, she turned her attention back to rousing Kaldur.

Patting the side of his face with a gauntleted hand, she started calling his name. "Kaldur. Wake up, you missed the fight."

"Hm?" His eyelids fluttered a couple of times before opening completely, revealing hazy green eyes. "Dr. Roquette, is she-"

"She's safe." Hawkgirl assured him as she rose to her feet, holding out a hand. When his hand was firmly clasped around her own, she lifted him to his feet and draped his arm over her shoulder, bearing as much of his weight as he'd allow. "And the virus was successfully downloaded. Robin and Superboy managed to stop The Fog in time."

"Thank you." Aqualad said, swinging his head to face the blonde doctor.

"I should be thanking you guys." Dr. Roquette replied. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine." Aqualad assured. "I've already metabolized a majority of the poison."

Seeing that he was mostly coherent at this point, Hawkgirl started to lead their small trio out towards the front of the café, just in time to see the assassin make another disappearing act in front of the plate glass window. Once they were outside, they were greeted with the sight of a slightly shell-shocked Artemis.

"Artemis, where's the assassin?" Aqualad asked.

Shaking her head a little, the archer reigned in her emotions at the demand. "She, uh… She got away."

Kid Flash made a quick entrance, speeding up to the group and skidding to a stop. "Oh, from you? Oh, big surprise! Notice, we got ours." He said, jerking a thumb behind him.

Miss Martian drifted down from the sky, two of the assassins accomplices bound and thoroughly trapped via both rope and her telekinetic powers. Before he could start laying into the archer about her failure again, Kid Flash's attention was caught by something on the ground. "Cool. Souvenir." Reaching down, he scooped up the assassin's signature white and red cat mask.

Aqualad slipped out of Hawkgirl's grip, standing completely under his own power as he moved closer. "Her mask?" He leveled a look at Artemis. "Did you see her face?"

Artemis turned, her entire body facing away from the group. "It was dark." She claimed, sounding a little off.

"It is fine." Aqualad assured her. "Robin and Superboy neutralized The Fog. And Dr. Roquette is safe, thanks in no small part to you. Welcome to the team." He held out his hand.

Artemis reached out and took it, shaking his hand firmly.

Rubbing a little at the bloodied spot on her wing, Hawkgirl sidled up. "You've proven yourself a capable combatant. For this one time… I am willing to overlook your insistence on bickering during the mission."

Artemis' eyes flicked to the still-growing bloodstain darkening her brown feathers. "Thanks, I guess?" I assume you're still going to deliver that threat you promised?"

"Of course." Ski'Lira nodded, a small genuine smile appearing on her face. "Perhaps over a spar?" She held out her hand, elbow bent and hand facing sideways.

After a moment's hesitation, Artemis took the hand, successfully mirroring the gesture. From the look in her eyes, she recognized how important this moment was. Most likely, Green Arrow had deemed it prudent to warn her beforehand about handshake etiquette with a Thanagarian. Ski'Lira's grin widened as she flared out her wings to their full span. "I'll look forward to a chance to thoroughly kick your ass."

Barking out a laugh, Ski'Lira released her from the traditional Thanagarian greeting, pulling her wings back into a neutral position. "You can certainly try."

"I've always wanted sisters." M'Gann admitted as she stood next to the two of them. "Here on Earth, I mean. I have twelve back on Mars, but trust me, it's _not_ the same."

"I… wouldn't know." Artemis replied. "But thanks."

Hawkgirl reached over to her left and slapped Wally upside the head without looking.

"Ow!" He protested, shooting a glare at her, before pouting. "Yeah. Welcome."

As he rubbed the back of his head, Artemis cautiously held out a hand. Eyeing it dubiously for a moment, the speedster reluctantly shook it.

* * *

This is officially the longest chapter in Fight or Flight so far. I sincerely thank you all for your patience in awaiting this chapter, as this last month has been _ridiculously_ hectic and finding time to write this chapter has been difficult. I hope it was worth the wait?

Next time: An original chapter in which Superboy and Hawkgirl get some well-deserved bro-nding time.

That was a terrible pun, but I refuse to apologize.

As always, comments, questions, and concerns are always welcome!

Hope you all have an absolutely lovely day!


	9. The Direct Approach

And here we see the Thanagarian and the Half-Kryptonian, far from their natural habitat, undergoing an intricate ceremony known as 'Bro Bonding' or 'Bro-nding'. The display is sure to be violent, but quite interesting to watch. Let us approach carefully and see how this plays out.

Breaking my pseudo-David Attenborough persona for a moment, be sure to keep scrolling after the main part of the chapter ends! For after that is an in-canon oneshot containing the results of the 'Favorite Disney Movie' Contest!

* * *

Ski'Lira, honestly, _did not_ want to go to Mount Justice. The reason was a simple, and understandable one. She'd spent nearly the entire day alternating between studying for an upcoming test in her online physics class and helping her mother with inventory at the museum.

Frankly, her brain was pretty much burned out by this point. She had no motivation to socialize with her team, but yet she was going to anyway.

Her father had said something along the lines of "A true _kast_ is bonded when they're seen at their worst."

It took her a moment to realize he was referring to her grumpiness and she'd stormed out of the room, leaving him laughing at what was apparently a hilarious reaction.

She'd still found herself tying her cloth mask around the upper half of her face before she took to the air, flying to the nearby Zeta access point.

H

Of course, her wishes for a peaceful afternoon with her team was shattered after taking her first step into the cave. Her sensitive ears easily picked up the cacophony of multiple yelling voices. Snapping her wings out, she flew as quickly as she could through the halls of the underground base until she reached the source.

M'Gann and Wally were both yelling at Superboy, the former of whom was holding him back with her telekinesis. The source of the half-Kryptonian's ire was Wally, judging by the way the speedster was pressed against the nearest wall and was shouting defensively.

Right next to the speedster's head was a hole, a very clear imprint of where Superboy's fist had presumably impacted.

"M'Gann" Skylar called out as she touched down onto the floor, her body tense and spine ramrod straight. Once she had the Martian's attention, she tapped her temple with an index finger. Immediately, she felt a mental link connect the two of them.

" **What. Happened?"** The Thanagarian demanded.

" **I don't know exactly."** M'Gann replied. **"I wasn't paying attention since I was trying out this new recipe and I was having trouble finding-"**

" **Focus"** Ski'Lira interrupted.

" **Right, sorry. The next thing I know, Superboy's shouting and he… tried to hit Wally, but Wally dodged…"** M'Gann trailed off, cutting the mental link once she had been given an approving nod.

At this point, Ski'Lira _could_ have merely walked away and allowed the two to sort out things between them. Kaldur would probably be summoned from his trip to the Hall of Justice to act as a mediator, getting them to actually talk out their problems in an emotionally healthy manner. Since she was second in command, the decision ultimately came down to her in lieu of Aqualad's absence.

But judging by the nearly inhuman sounds coming from Superboy, the gentle approach would be far from effective.

In this case, the Thanagarian Tough Love™ approach was the way to go.

Crossing over to her still-fuming teammate, she casually locked her elbow around his neck and grabbed his other arm in a vice-like grip. "Wally, why don't you help M'Gann in the kitchen? I'm sure she could use some pointers. I'll take care of this." Seeing the dubious look in Wally's eyes, she immediately elaborated. "No, I'm not going to kill him."

Nodding, Wally ushered M'Gann back to the kitchen after the Martian dropped her telekinetic influence. When Superboy regained control of his limbs, he tried to rip himself out of Ski'Lira's grasp, but she managed to keep him relatively immobilized.

Ski'Lira didn't let him go until they were both safely in the main hub, harshly releasing him and sending him sprawling on the ground. As he clambered into an upright position, almost snarling at her, she stretched out her arms and cracked her neck from side to side as the training program booted up around them.

The moment that they were illuminated with that telltale white glow, Ski'Lira surged forward, snapping her foot straight into Connor's face, sending him tumbling backwards. Letting out a frustrated noise, he stood up, hands clenching into fists.

"You hit me." He said, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Yes, I did." The Thanagarian replied easily, body locked in an offensive stance. "Now are you going to _do_ something about it or are you going to just glare at me?"

Superboy gave no warning as he sprinted forward, swinging a fist straight at her torso. Twisting to the side, she dealt two quick jabs with her own fists before flaring out her wings and flapping as hard as she could. The movement sent her careening backwards out of the reach of his next hit.

Ski'Lira knew that Superboy was both stronger and faster than her on a base level. In their very first fight deep in the tunnels of Cadmus, she'd been woefully caught off guard by this fact (although she really should have expected it from context clues). His victory had been nothing short of humiliating.

But now, she had a full scope of his abilities and skills, as well as contributed to his martial training. She wasn't going to win this fight by simply overpowering him. She was going to win by being smarter.

In all honesty, she could finish this fight in a few devastating moves that would leave him a mess on the floor. But the goal of winning this spar was only secondary in her mind. The primary focus here was to create a safe channel for Superboy's anger.

That's why she let his next few hits connect once she darted in close enough to engage. The blows struck like a freight train, but she was used to taking much harder hits. Her mouth filled with blood from a strike to her jaw that caused her to bite the inside of her cheek as well as bloodied her nose, and her ribs were aching from what was surely a crack or two.

Judging by the look on his face, Superboy had no idea she was _letting_ him have the upper hand for the time being. But just as she hoped, the tension in his shoulders and the sheer fury in his eyes started to dim. The anger was finally leeching out of him.

Spitting out a mix of blood and saliva onto the illuminated floor, Hawkgirl squared her shoulders, drawing her wings in tight to her body.

Expecting the next kick, she ducked and rolled underneath his extended leg and ended up behind him, slamming a fist into his lower back and kicking at the back of his knee. Superboy crumpled into an awkward kneeling position, too slow to prevent her arm from locking around his neck. Both of her legs wrapped around his torso, trapping his arms fast to his sides. Her added weight forced him to fall backwards, still trapped fast in her grip.

Superboy thrashed, trying to escape, but to no avail. After a few tense heartbeats, he finally went limp in her grasp before tapping out.

But she wasn't quite done. She increased the amount of pressure she was exerting on his windpipe, not enough to choke, but enough to warn. "Let me make one thing abundantly clear. If you want to hit someone, you hit _me_. If I _ever_ find out you've raised a hand to any of our teammates outside of training I will gladly rip your throat out with my teeth. Do you understand me?"

"… I understand." He mumbled after a moment's hesitation.

As the computerized floor declared his defeat, Hawkgirl unwrapped herself from around him and merely flopped onto the ground next to him. He idly realized that she was breathing heavily.

"Damn, you're strong." Ski'Lira gasped out, wiping at the blood seeping from her nose and from her mouth with the back of her hands, which only really smeared it further.

Superboy sat up, idly rubbing at his neck. If he had been human, he most likely would be bruised and unconscious. As it was, Ski'Lira was the only one showing any sign of their spar. A strangely comfortable silence settled over the two as Ski'Lira sat up and pressed the hem of her shirt to her nose, attempting to stem the blood flow.

She watched as the black-haired teen's face morphed through a series of expressions, eventually settling on what was decidedly confusion. "How did you know…?" He trailed off, seemingly unsure how to phrase his question.

Fortunately, Ski'Lira immediately understood what he was trying to get at. "That you needed an outlet?" At his affirming nod, she elaborated. "Experience." Pulling her shirt away from her face, she deemed the nosebleed had mostly stopped, and leaned back on her hands, uncaring that she was still covered in her own blood. "Thanagarians are naturally prone to violent outbursts. We are taught early to channel and control our tempers." She considered him thoughtfully. "From what I've seen, it will take some time before you can fully control your anger, which means up until that point you will need a safe outlet, just as I was given."

"Who was yours?" He asked suddenly. "Your outlet, I mean."

She saw no reason to lie to him, so she told the truth. "My parents, for the most part. Sometimes Hal Jordan would allow me to fight his constructs… a few times Superman merely stood still and let me hit him until I was spent."

Superboy's wince at the name drop did not go unnoticed. She decided to let it go for now, quickly moving on. "Once Green Arrow made the mistake of attempting a friendly spar during one of my… episodes, though he quickly realized his error."

Superboy's discomfort morphed into honest curiosity. "What happened?"

"Hm" Ski'Lira couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face at the memory. "He shrieked like a little girl, locked himself in a closet, and called Black Canary to come deal with me. She made me pancakes and never told Green Arrow it was safe to come out. He was in there for two hours until Roy found him by accident."

He gave an amused snort, the smallest of smiles appearing on his usually passive face. "I thought Green Arrow was supposed to be… I don't know. More intimidating?"

"Oh, he can be." She assured, pulling her legs up and crossed them, angling so she could face him better. Plastering a dubious look on his face, he followed suit, so he was mirroring her position (albeit more stiffly). "He wouldn't be on the League if he wasn't extraordinary at what he does. Just like with anyone else, he is prone to moments of weakness. Though his moments of weakness tend to be personally humiliating and excellent blackmail material."

While Superboy digested that revelation, Ski'Lira mentally planned out her next words very carefully, well aware she was going to cause a sudden shift in the pleasant mood. "Why did you try to attack Wally?"

His hands abruptly curled into fists, setting his jaw. Through his clenched teeth, he provided a muffled explanation. "He said Superman might never accept me and I should just move on."

Ski'Lira had to admit, that was _not_ what she'd been expecting. From the ensuing temper tantrum, she assumed Wally had insulted his face or his lack of basic social skills, something of that caliber. The last thing she expected was a legitimate suggestion being taken the wrong way.

Though, knowing Wally, the tone he used was most likely inappropriate for the situation, and that's what set Superboy off.

She'd interrogate the speedster later. For now, she had to finish dealing with the sullen teen sitting across from her. "I know Superman." She began. "Both the cape _and_ the man wearing it. He is a good man, but he is _not_ infallible. Just like everyone else, he is capable of mistakes… This being a rather large one, I admit."

Superboy's eyes widened as his angry expression was replaced with a stricken look.

"Judging by the look on your face, you misunderstand." Ski'Lira deadpanned. "You, personally, are not the mistake. His _treatment_ of you is the mistake." She gave a solemn shake of her head. "It is understandable. His DNA was stolen from him without permission and out of the blue, he has a teenage son raised in a glorified mad science lab that was trying to make a replacement for him under their complete control."

Ski'Lira took a heartbeat to contemplate how absolutely insane that sounded, before clearing her throat and continuing. "It is not an excuse for his behavior, but it _is_ an explanation."

Superboy seemed to be mulling that over, conflict warring across his features as he tried to understand Superman's point of view.

"As it stands…" Ski'Lira said, interrupting what was sure to be a riveting internal monologue on Superboy's part. "If he doesn't pull his head out of his ass soon, I'll ask my parents to step in."

Superboy actually _spluttered_ , thoroughly caught off guard by the announcement. "Your parents? What… What would they do?"

"Knock some sense into him, hopefully." A vindictive smirk appeared on her face. "Or maybe terrify him into at least apologizing until he finally manages to sort everything out. Either way, really."

"… Are parents usually so…?" He trailed off.

"Thanagarian ones, yes." Leaning forward, she readjusted positions so that her elbows were perched on her knees. "May I offer you some advice?"

He looked around the cave around them. "Is this about my combat training?"

She let out the tiniest snorts before schooling her features, but she still had to fight back a grin. "Despite popular belief, I don't solely think about fighting."

"Just a lot more than a normal person. And people say _I'm_ the socially maladjusted one."

Ski'Lira's grin was let free in full force as she laughed. "You made a joke!" Balling a hand into a fist, she fondly punched him on the shoulder to show her pride. If he winced a little from the force of the hit, well, that just showed how much pride she put into that punch.

"So… what kind of advice?" Superboy asked as he rubbed the new sore spot on his arm, though the pain quickly faded.

"Wally did not say it in the right way, but he is right. You should stop running after Superman. He's already proven that he's not willing to help you anytime soon and there's an entire Justice League full of possible mentors that are more than happy to help you."

Superboy seemed like he hadn't even considered that possibility, no doubt due to the remnants of Cadmus brainwashing and his prevalent hero worship of his biological parent. "… Like Black Canary?"

"Exactly. She's already taken you under her wing…" She made a face as she realized what she'd just said. "That pun was unintentional."

"But my powers… She can't train me to use them, right?"

Ski'Lira's thought process stuttered to a stop. Superboy was right about that. Black Canary was an expert in hand to hand combat, but her own set of abilities weren't compatible with Superboy's. There was only so much she could teach him. "Not really, I suppose…" She began slowly. "But she's doing a good job in training you despite that. But if it's really such a concern, asking for a supplementary mentor would be no trouble. Perhaps Wonder Woman would be a good choice? Or even one of the Green Lanterns. They don't have super strength, but they are the resident experts on power control."

Superboy had a strange look on his face, a mixture of apprehension and excitement that was odd to say the least.

"If you're nervous about asking them yourself, I could inquire for you?"

He perked up immediately at the suggestion, some of the apprehension melting away. "You'd do that?"

"Of course, what else are _kast_ for?"

"… Kast? What does that mean?"

Ski'Lira was struck speechless for two reasons. First, she hadn't realized that the Thanagarian term had slipped out (And that meant she accepted this new bond with her teammates and when did this happen? She made a mental note to do some serious soul-searching later.) The second reason was that Superboy's pronunciation of the alien word had been absolutely correct.

She shook her head a little as she realized she'd been staring off into the distance while Superboy waited patiently for an answer. "It… roughly translates to 'Group of Warriors', but that definition does not do it justice. 'Team' would be slightly more accurate, but it does not capture the nuances of the term." Damn, explaining Thanagarian to non-Thanagarians was _hard_. She was getting flashbacks to more than one painful conversation with Roy abound with misunderstandings and mistranslations. "It means… It means a group of individuals that have banded together in battle and formed a bond akin to… friendship, albeit war-hardened."

"… Was that an unnecessarily complicated way of saying we're friends?"

The Thanagarian frowned. "I am willing to overlook your disrespect of my culture because that was actually a pretty good comeback. But yes. We're friends."

He nodded to himself a little, seemingly complacent with that answer. "Friends." He repeated the word, still unused to it.

The two slipped into a comfortable silence, basking in the strengthening of their platonic relationship. Hawkgirl flopped down onto her back, stretching out her wings, and stared at the cave's ceiling. Judging by the shuffling noise, Superboy had followed suit.

Said silence was broken roughly two and a half minutes later as the Zeta Tube whirled into the life.

" _Recognized: Batman, 02. Recognized: Flash, 04."_

The two Leaguers stepped into the cave and promptly froze as they saw the two teenagers now lying on the floor, one of whom was visibly bloodied.

"… Do I even want to know?" Flash asked with a sigh.

"We were bonding." Ski'Lira explained, tilting her head to look up at the two heroes. "It's not that much blood."

"… Your definition of 'not that much' needs work." Flash sighed for a second time.

She merely shrugged.

"Fine. Superboy?" The speedster turned to the other teen, who was in the process of sitting up. "You're with me for the next couple of hours. Bats says you need help with speed training."

Superboy shot a look Hawkgirl's way. She merely grinned and mouthed 'Told you so'.

He gave an accepting nod as he stood, following the speedster out of the room, leaving Ski'Lira alone with the Dark Knight.

"… Did you win?" He asked.

Ski'Lira huffed. "Of course I won. But that wasn't the point." She pulled herself up into a slumped sitting position. "His anger issues are getting worse. Not pre-teen Thanagarian level, but… Have you been able to talk some sense into Clark yet?"

Batman's expression didn't change. "Not yet. It's a work in progress."

"That's what I thought." She pulled one of her wings in closer to her body and sifted her fingers through the plumage, straightening a few errant feathers. "I told him to seek out other members of the League for help. Seems like you had the same idea." She gave a pointed jerk of her head towards where the teen in question had disappeared with the Flash.

He considered her for a moment. "I hadn't expected you to take responsibility for him."

Ski'Lira shot him a look as she rose to her feet. "No one else was going to." Offering the slightest of head tilts in farewell, she headed into the nearest hallway, intending to head to the med bay so she could finally clean all of the blood off of herself.

She felt Batman's eyes on her back up until she turned a corner and escaped from his sight.

Maybe now the Dark Knight would step up his game in finding Superboy a suitable mentor.

* * *

Fun fact, I had to rewrite bits of the chapter here and there because I used the word 'moment' a total of sixteen times. Thank goodness for . It has truly been my best friend in writing this story.

Next time on Fight or Flight… a young Ski'Lira meets her first sidekick. Hint: It's an extremely grumpy ginger who hates her now.

And now, as promised, the Disney oneshot!

* * *

"Okay, so here's what we have so far." Wally pointedly capped the blue marker in his hand, using it to point to the whiteboard set up next to him. At the top in blocky letters were the words 'Disney Marathon', followed by a compiled list. "M'Gann picked the Aristocats… Zatanna chose Beauty and the Beast."

Zatanna hummed a few bars of 'Tale as Old as Time'.

"Superboy couldn't decide, mostly because the whole point of this marathon is to educate our poor misguided teammates who haven't seen any Disney movies." Wally continued, his marker making a clicking noise as he tapped it against each item of the list. "I picked Emperor's New Groove."

"Counterpoint. Look what I can do." Robin abruptly flipped off the couch, levering himself up so he was doing a one-armed handstand.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Wally quoted, unable to help his slight laugh.

"No, no" Zatanna continued. "He's got a point."

The three dissolved into cackling laughter, Robin high-fiving their resident magic user when he was upright again.

Superboy and Aqualad looked so confused it almost hurt to look at them.

"Artemis chose Lilo and Stitch." Wally continued, pointing at the next item on the list. "A decision I'm sure Hawkgirl supports wholeheartedly, considering how much she probably relates to Stitch."

Ski'Lira responded by narrowing her eyes and hissing at him.

"You've just proven my point." He deadpanned. "Robin… Great Mouse Detective? Really?"

"It's a good movie!" Robin immediately defended.

"Fine, fine, no judgement. That just leaves Aqualad and Hawkgirl's pick. Kaldur?"

Kaldur had been given a handwritten list of Disney movies, complete with short synopsis courtesy of Zatanna. He'd been reading through the list during the entire debate. "I believe I have made my choice. Atlantis: The Lost Empire."

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop as everyone turned to stare incredulously at the Atlantean. Robin was the first to speak. "You sure? It's not accurate _at all_."

"I can infer from the summary. I still find myself intrigued." He smiled sincerely.

Years later, his teammates still could not agree about whether or not he was messing with them.

"That leaves Big Bird. Got something for us?" Wally prompted.

"Black Cauldron"

Wally shuddered a little. " _Really_? I'm unsurprised, but _really_?! You had to pick the scariest Disney movie _ever_?"

"That was a joke." She interrupted before he could continue his rant. "I want to watch Mulan. It's my favorite."

"Your… favorite." Artemis' brow furrowed a little. "Wait, you watch Disney movies?"

"Of course I watch Disney movies." Hawkgirl was actually a little offended. "They're animated masterpieces of storytelling, visual art, and musical composition."

"She's got a point." Miss Martian offered. "Disney is very popular on Mars, too. And I think Mulan is an excellent pick."

"Kick ass woman who breaks social norms and goes to war?" Robin piped up. "Yeah, I can see why it's your favorite. Let me guess, your favorite Pixar movie is Brave?"

"… Finding Nemo."

"… _Really_."

"Okay, okay, I think we've picked on the big, bad, Thanagarian enough. Let her keep _some_ of her pride intact." Artemis grabbed the nearest DVD case (which happened to be Beauty and the Beast) and moved to pop it in the player. She ended up sitting on the ground next to Ski'Lira, who nudged her.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

Artemis smirked as she snagged the nearest bowl of popcorn. "Ohana means family, _Stitch_ "

Ski'Lira's eyes narrowed. "Meega, nala kwishta."

* * *

A big thank you to everyone who submitted answers! You guys really came out in droves for this one. This was kind of an experiment to see whether you guys would be receptive to contests like this, and it seemed to go over really well. That means all you lovely readers can expect more contests to come!

Contest Winners

 **Mulan:** TheShapeshifter100, AmericanNidiot, Hissing Hornet, Rakuzai, and ADDBaby

 **Black Cauldron (which turned out to be excellent fodder for a deadpan Thanagarian joke):** TheShapeshifter100 and AmericanNidiot

Unexpected Pixar Entry I _Had_ to Include

 **Finding Nemo:** ADDBaby

Honorable Mentions that Just Barely Didn't Make it Into the Story

 **Who Framed Roger Rabbit:** AmericanNidiot (It's just so ridiculous and it would have thoroughly caught everyone off guard.)

 **Something Wicked This Way Comes:** NightShock99 (This response literally made me laugh out loud. It came down to this one and Black Cauldron for Ski'Lira's joke, and let me tell you it was a tough decision.)


	10. The Start of an Aggressive Friendship

"Hi, I'm Captain America. Here to talk to you about one of the most valuable traits a student or soldier can have. Patience. Sometimes, patience is the key to victory. Sometimes, it leads to very little, and it seems like it's not worth it, and you wonder why you waited so long for something so disappointing... How many more of these…?"

Consider the ice broken. So, it's been a bit, huh? This chapter's long overdue and I am _really_ sorry about that. A combination of factors kind of all kicked in at once, so as Captain America says, thank you for your patience.

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice (big surprise), nor do I own Harry Potter (for which there are spoilers for in the following chapter. It's probably an unnecessary warning, I'm just covering all my bases).

Enjoy!

* * *

"I just don't really think I'm cut out for this mentor stuff." There was a soft _thud_ as Oliver Queen collapsed face first onto the top of the bar in front of him.

Rolling his eyes slightly, his drinking companion for the evening, Carter Hall, slapped him lightly on the back. "I'm sure you're doing fine. You're good with kids, Ollie, everyone knows that."

"He's a _teenager_ , not a kid." Oliver corrected. "They're a whole different species… No offense."

Carter's blue eyes narrowed just slightly, but instead of replying right away his took another swig of beer from the glass tankard sitting in front of him. "If you _weren't_ worried, I'd be concerned."

"I just… Am I doing the right thing here? I want to do right by him, you know? I really don't want to screw this up."

"And that's why you'll be a good mentor." Carter answered succinctly. "Because you're focusing on how this will affect _him_ , not _you_." He fell silent for a moment as he considered something. "Did you call me out just to ask for parenting advice?"

"… Maybe. And uh, there was something important I wanted to ask."

Snorting a little, Carter drained the rest of his tankard. "Alright, fine. What is it?"

"Can I introduce Roy to Skylar?"

The Thanagarian waved his hand in a lazy gesture, urging the blonde to elaborate.

"I thought he might appreciate being able to talk to someone his own age about all of the… hero stuff."

"… That's actually not a bad idea." Carter admitted as he looked down at the bottom of his drink. "Shayera and I have been a little worried we haven't been socializing her enough. This could be good for both of them."

"I'll call when I can bring him by."

 _Thunk!_ Aquaman sat down heavily next to them, sliding a newly filled mug to Carter and a much smaller glass to Ollie. "What did I miss?"

H

Hanging upside down from the back of the couch, Ski'Lira steadily made her way through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This was an accomplishment in superior Thanagarian evolution for two reasons. One, she had been upside down for a solid half hour at this point, and two, the fifth book in the series was thick and heavy, making it unwieldy enough for efficient holding.

The only reason Ski'Lira hadn't given up at this point and just sat down on the couch like a normal person was because she took it as a personal challenge. She was determined to make it to one hour.

However, she hadn't expected for someone to suddenly interfere.

She barely felt the slim fingers wrapping around her ankle before she was abruptly hoisted into the air, dangling a good foot above the ground. Ski'Lira let out a startled squawk, her wings flailing like a frantic chicken for a moment before she settled down.

"Da'mi!" She groaned as her book dropped to the ground with a solid thump.

"Did you forget we're having visitors over today?" Shayera Hol asked, still not releasing her hold on her daughter.

"… Today?"

"Yes, today." Finally, the older woman took pity and lowered her to the ground, allowing her ample time to drop her hands onto the ground. Once she was fully released, she bent her legs over her head, placing them firmly on the ground and sitting down right where she was.

"When will they be here?" Picking up her book, she carefully placed her bookmark after inspecting the pages to make sure they weren't bent too badly.

"Ten minutes. Your room is still clean?"

"Yes, da'mi"

"Good." Anything more Shayera could have said was abruptly cut off as the doorbell rang.

Ski'Lira opted to stay where she was for the moment, allowing her mother to greet their guests and escort them further into the house. Stretching a little, she hopped up so she was sitting on the back of the couch, upright this time. Her feet dangled down a good couple of feet off the floor.

Ollie was the first to step in, beaming brightly as he ruffled her hair in greeting. "There's my favorite niece. How're you doing?"

"I'm fine, Ollie." She answered. "Just reading."

"And school?"

"I got a ninety eight on my last math test." She proclaimed proudly, earning a high five from the older archer.

"Excellent as always! Now that the boring pleasantries are out of the way, Skylar, I'd like you to meet my new apprentice, Roy Harper." With an overdramatic wave of his hand, he stepped aside so she could get an unobstructed view of the newcomer.

Her first thought was _violently ginger_ , quickly followed by _grumpy_. His arms were folded and he was trying his absolute best to look like he'd rather be anywhere else. Considering what she knew of human teenagers, it was probably true.

"Roy, this is Skylar."

"… Hi." He reluctantly said, looking at her for a moment before diverting his gaze again.

She looked him up and down for a moment. "His arms are so skinny… How can he draw a bow?"

 _That_ snapped him out of his aura of gloom _real_ quick. Arms snapping to his sides, his eyes laser focused on her. "Excuse me?"

"Archery is a very upper body intensive activity. Are you sure you don't wish to take up another fighting style? Like fencing."

"I can draw a bow just fine." He growled slightly.

"Your unfounded claims mean nothing to me."

Oliver let out a long-suffering sigh as he turned to Shayera. "Why do I feel like I've just made a _massive_ mistake?"

"The hostility will pass. Hopefully." The Thanagarian woman suggested. "Perhaps we should leave them alone for the moment."

Rubbing a hand down his face, he sighed a second time. "Yeah, sure, fine. Both of you _behave_. No murdering each other while the adults are out of the room."

"Not even a little?" Ski'Lira asked innocently.

"No. No murder."

She gave an over exaggerated pout and crossed her arms. At this point, Roy was looking a strange combination of confused, angry, and concerned. The concern was most likely for his own wellbeing, since he was being left alone with a child with a penchant for violence.

Ski'Lira watched him with laser focus as he sighed, scraped his hand through his hair, and promptly collapsed onto the couch. For a few moments, she expected him to do or say _something_ , but it seemed like Roy had resigned himself to sulking in silence for the entirety of the visit.

Well, she wasn't going to ignore an opportunity when it was presented to her. Snagging her book back from its place sitting on the coffee table, she padded over to the armchair and curled up on the seat. Flipping it open, she quickly located her spot and was quickly sucked into Harry's first venture as a teacher for Dumbledore's Army.

In the silence, she could vaguely hear Oliver and her mother's voices from the kitchen, but she tuned them out. Roy, she ignored with every fiber of her being.

And it was her mistake for doing so. If she had been paying an iota more attention, she could have picked up on the spike of his heartbeat and the change in his breathing. If she had been _looking_ at him, she would have seen the gleam in his blue eyes that could only mean trouble.

"You know Sirius Black dies in the end, right?"

The entire world screeched to a halt. Ever so slowly, Ski'Lira looked up from the pages of her book, dark blue eyes locking on his lighter ones. "… You lie."

The self-satisfied smile on Roy's face was all the answer she needed, but he opted to put another nail in his coffin. "Nope. Bellatrix kills him."

One beat of silence.

And then two.

And then three.

With an unholy screech that could only have come from the throat of a Thanagarian, Ski'Lira threw her book aside and launched herself across the room. Roy barely had time to bring his arms up into a defensive position before she was on him, screaming and clawing incoherently in her native language.

In an attempt to throw her off, Roy staggered to his feet, only for her to lock her much smaller legs around his torso as she head butted him straight in the face. Just as she drew back to do it again, she felt hands lock around her waist and physically pull her off the older boy.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Oliver shouted, quickly identifying himself as her captor. "Calm down!"

Ski'Lira's haze of anger faded _just_ enough for her to stop frantically squirming, but she was still trying to kill Roy Harper with the power of her brain. Roy was being checked over by a blank-faced Shayera, who disappeared back into the kitchen just long enough to retrieve a small towel for his bleeding nose.

"What the hell happened?" Oliver demanded. "We were gone for three minutes!"

She opted to remain stubbornly quiet, and Roy followed her lead as her mother pressed the cloth to his face.

Shayera looked between the two of them with an analytical look, gaze shifting back and forth between the two of them, before finally settling on her daughter.

" _Ski'Lira_ … What did he say to you?"

The last vestiges of her anger drained away, replaced mostly with desperation as she looked up at her mother with beseeching eyes. " _Da'mi_ , please tell me Sirius Black doesn't die."

It was the minute shake of her wings and the slightest twitch of her mouth that betrayed Shayera, the most minute of tells that were near impossible to detect.

Ski'Lira let out another short scream before promptly going boneless. So startled was Oliver by the sudden shift, that he ended up dropping her face first onto the ground.

But she didn't care.

"Roy, apologize for spoiling." Oliver demanded.

"… Snape kills Dumbledore in the sixth book." Was Roy's response.

"WHAT?!"

H

Needless to say, neither member of the League had been happy with either of them. In a last ditch effort to both save the furniture in the house from accidental destruction and salvage a possible friendship between the two that Shayera had sent them both outside. Ski'Lira had wordlessly led Roy down the path that led from behind the house to the beach that served as a 'backyard' of sorts.

The house itself sat on the crumbling remains of a small cliff, overlooking the beach below and sea beyond. The part of the beach closest to the cliff mostly consisted of rough stone, but past that it smoothed out into fairly standard sand.

For a few tense minutes, the only sound between Roy and Ski'Lira were their footprints in the sand. Ski'Lira had shed her shoes immediately, and after a moment's hesitation Roy had followed suit, stripping off his sneakers and socks and placing them close to the young girl's discarded sandals.

The younger girl noticed that Roy had been gradually growing more and more fidgety. Based on what she knew of human body language, he had something he wanted to say. She just remained silent and waited, much like a predator waiting for prey to creep closer.

"I'm sorry for telling you Sirius died. That wasn't cool." Roy blurted out in a nearly unintelligible gush of words, vehemently avoiding eye contact, pale skin flushing from angry embarrassment.

Ski'Lira let him stew in silence for a moment before she gave her reply. "I'm more upset that you spoiled the ending rather than the knowledge of the death itself. Half of the fun is not knowing how a story will end."

"… Fair enough." He agreed. "But did you _have_ to attack me?"

"Yes."

"Fair enough." Roy repeated, stuffing his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. Casting a look around the beautiful scenery around them, he was clearly floundering for a follow up question. "So… Do you have anything like Harry Potter on Thanagar?"

"You mean wizards?" Coming to a stop, she flopped unceremoniously onto the ground, pulling her legs up into a crossed position. Her wings fluttered a bit as she extended them out, letting the feathers be ruffled by the cool breeze. "Because that is a complicated question to answer."

"No, no, I meant…" Roy followed her lead, sitting on the sand. "I meant like books-wise."

"Oh, no." She answered succinctly. "Thanagar does not have fictional stories."

That revelation threw the older boy for a loop. "You don't have books and movies?"

"We do, they just aren't made up. They tell tales of our history, both old and recent, of other places and their peoples. The universe can be just as strange as some of the tales your human authors tell."

"Really." He sounded skeptical. "Like what?"

Ski'Lira let her eyes drift up to the sky as she wracked her brain for a sufficient story. "My old teacher told us once about a battle, I cannot quite remember the name of it. A Thanagarian general and his army had been stranded on a hostile planet inhabited entirely by a species that communicated through dancing. Traditional warfare techniques weren't working, as the native peoples had skin that were nearly impervious to attack. So instead he took a… different approach."

"How different are we talking?" Roy prompted.

"… He may or may not have challenged their leader to a dance battle. And won."

She could feel his incredulous stare, but she kept her face stoic. She wasn't lying, after all. General Sy'an was one of their most renowned figures in their history, as he his unrivaled intellect allowed him to pinpoint the weakness of his enemies. Speaking of…

"Of course, the entire dance competition was a ruse for him to get close enough to stab the leader in the species' single weak spot. Once again, Thanagar was victorious."

"Why am I not surprised?" Roy deadpanned. He huffed out a laugh. "Man, if _Earth_ history was like that maybe I'd pay more attention in school."

Ski'Lira turned her head to face him, noting for a moment the broad smile on his face that had replaced the seemingly perpetual scowl. "You go to school?"

"Yes? I'm a teenager, of course I go to school."

"Will you tell me about it?" She asked. "What human school is like?"

"It's really not that interesting."

"It is to me. I don't go to school, so I don't know much about it."

Roy proceeded to launch into a long rant, mostly focusing on the antics of his peers, subject matter, and some of the things his teachers had done that particularly pissed him off. Despite the boring topic, Ski'Lira was enraptured, mostly because it was just so _different_ from what she knew. She kept pestering him with follow-up questions until Shayera and Oliver made their way down the beach towards them, heralding the end of their first meeting.

The older boy shuffled a little from side to side as they said their goodbyes, partly out of awkwardness, but mostly to make sure his sneakers were both back completely on his feet. "Maybe this can work out after all. You can message me or something. You have AOL Instant Messenger, right?"

"We'll get it figured out." Shayera immediately promised. "But before you two go…" She fished out a disposable camera from where she'd had it shoved in the back pocket of her jeans. "Just one picture?"

The two League kids immediately further bonded over the embarrassment of having to pose for a photo. After some wheedling from both of the present superheroes, Roy and Ski'Lira both stood next to each other from where Shayera had posed them. They stood framed just so, with the house in the background and the sky starting to fade a little in vibrancy as evening approached.

"Smile!" Shayera prompted as she held up the camera.

"Like you mean it!" Oliver added.

Rolling his eyes, Roy plastered a grin on his face and planted a hand on Ski'Lira's shoulder, while she mirrored his smile. Her wings flared out a little and curled around the two of them, the wind catching her braid and sending it blowing off to the side.

 _Click_

"Perfect." The Thanagarian woman proclaimed, releasing the two children from their obligation. Roy stepped away and headed back to his mentor's side.

"Now, you two have a safe trip home." Shayera said as her farewell.

"Will do." Ollie feigned tipping a hat before slinging an arm around his protégé's shoulders, steering him back up the beach and to their waiting vehicle.

"So" Shayera said once they had gotten in the car and backed out of the driveway, starting the trek back up to the house with her daughter scampering behind her. "Did you have fun today? You two seem to be getting along much better now."

She nodded, an unprompted appearing on her face. "Roy's cool… Uh… Da'mi?"

"Mmm?" Shayera replied.

"When do I get to go to school?"

H

"Ollie, I am going to _kill_ your sidekick."

The blonde archer let out a splutter of surprise, dropping his fresh mug of coffee. Hot liquid splattered all over the conference room floor and porcelain shards were spread liberally in front of him. "Goddammit, Carter. A little warning next time?" He gave a long suffering look towards the angry Thanagarian that had just burst into the room, disrupting the relative peace that had settled within it.

"That's one way to start a meeting." Superman piped up, looking distinctly amused.

With Carter's arrival, that put all of the current League members, minus Hawkwoman who was already excused from the meeting, in attendance. Today they were _supposed_ to be having a relatively mundane meeting primarily concerning financial matters, but it seemed like that had just been thrown out the window.

"What did the kid do?" The Flash asked, leaning forward and propping his chin on top of his hands. He probably saw this distraction as some kind of miracle.

Katar let out a long huff and dropped into one of the two remaining empty seats, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "He's corrupted my daughter, that's what."

"You think it would be the other way around…" Hal said, trailing off when Katar's piercing gaze was turned his way.

"Carter, I'm sure we'd all appreciate some context…?" Wonder Woman requested politely, though she sounded more amused than concerned.

"She's gotten the idea in her head that she needs to go to school."

Clark's brow furrowed a little. "Isn't she already taking online classes?"

"She is. She wants to go to _actual_ school."

And there it was, an oppressive aura of understanding and sympathy as his fellow heroes realized the full depths of his struggle.

"And how is this Roy's fault, exactly…?" Oliver's voice was slightly muffled, as he was kneeling on the ground picking up the larger porcelain shards, careful to avoid the puddle of coffee so as not to stain his hero uniform.

"He told her all about his school, and now she wants to go." In a rare show of exasperation, Carter pulled off his helmet just long enough to scrape a gauntleted hand through his brown hair before placing it back on his head. "When we told her no, she started plotting against us. My daughter is a passive aggressive _monster_."

A muffled laugh drew everyone's attention to Black Canary, who was attempting to stifle said mirth by pressing a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry." She apologized immediately. "But has a proud Thanagarian warrior been laid low by a thirteen year old girl?"

"This is worse than her first molt." Carter admitted. "At least then she was just angry, I can deal with angry. But now she's being _conniving_." He gestured towards Batman. "I regret ever letting Batman babysit."

"Hall, I'm _not_ the one who taught her how to pick locks." The Dark Knight immediately snapped back, stopping an ongoing argument before it could even begin.

"She knows that violence isn't going to work, so she's resorted to full-blown psychological warfare." Carter continued. "She won't stop rearranging things in the house. Yesterday she only spoke in haiku for a solid four hours. This morning I found out she'd cut off every third button on all of my dress shirts, except for one that she removed the fourth button. Every time I open iTunes it plays the opening song from The Lion King. I have no idea how she's doing it, but she is."

This time, Dinah wasn't the only one that was stifling laughter. Aquaman was hiding a full-blown smile behind a fist as he tried to feign nonchalance, but he wasn't convincing anybody. Even the ever-stoic Batman had cracked the smallest of smiles.

Still chuckling, Hal leaned over to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Well, we can safely say she's definitely you and Shayera's kid. But hey, if it's really such a problem, why don't I talk to her? Maybe I can convince her to give up the crusade."

"Please." Carter practically begged.

"Now that we've come up with a solution for this newfound problem." Batman interrupted. "We do have a meeting to get through. First on the agenda, I have full financial reports for reported destruction of public property from the last six months."

H

"So, I hear you've declared war on your parents."

Eyes narrowing, Ski'Lira set down the fork loaded with waffle she had been about to shovel into her mouth. "…This was a trap."

Hal merely grinned. "It's a good trap though, right? You'd _never_ expect me to lull you into a false sense of security by taking you to my favorite diner."

She let out a low growl, grip tightening on her fork and murder in her eyes.

"You've got nothing to lose now, so why don't you eat your breakfast and tell Uncle Hal what's got you so worked up."

After giving a petulant pout, she finally took a bite from her stack of waffles, not even bothering to chew completely before she started speaking. "My parents won't let me go to normal school."

"Well that does sound like an issue." He hummed thoughtfully, but she wasn't fooled. In all likelihood he already knew _exactly_ what the problem was, but was merely going along with it for her sake. "But why do you want to go so bad?"

"Because Roy gets to go. And other normal humans." She answered succinctly.

"But you're not Roy _or_ a human."

She blinked at him. Well, she couldn't fault that logic, but she still wouldn't be swayed. "I can pass for human. I'm doing it now."

"Sweetheart, you've bent that fork into the shape of your fingers."

A quick check proved that he was right, five perfect indents where her fingers had dug into the metal. A frustrated huff left her throat as she wordlessly handed the deformed utensil to Hal. He took it with a smile, slipping it under the table. Only the slightest green glow betrayed that he had done _anything_ and when he handed the fork back to her, it was once more in pristine condition.

She was a lot more careful taking it back this time.

"Other than 'the other kids are doing it', why else do you want to go to school?"

Ski'Lira remained silent for a few moments. She had hoped that her first excuse would be enough, but she should have known better. Hal Jordan knew her about as well as her parents did, and she could never get anything past him.

Deflating slightly, her wings drooped in their concealed space underneath an oversized hoodie. "… I miss it."

Straightening his spine a little, Hal snagged his mug of black coffee and took a sip now that it had sufficiently cooled. "Miss school? Or Thanagar?"

"Yes" She affirmed. And there it was, the heart of the issue.

"You're homesick."

Ski'Lira reddened in embarrassment, vehemently avoiding eye contact. It felt like a gaping hole had opened up in her chest, though not literally of course. Though it certainly felt like it. She hated it.

"You know that Earth school isn't anything like what you're used to on Thanagar." He explained. When she didn't respond, he kept talking. "For one, on Earth they don't have classes outside. And if they do, it's either rare or purely for some kind of physical activity. Two, there are no combat classes at all, the closest you get is gym and even then it's mostly running when you're told to and playing human sports that have had the rules changed to make them safer for kids. Three, any and all physical violence is against the rules, so you couldn't start fights. At all. Four… Well, you'd be stuck in a room full of Earth kids all day. Do you really want that?"

When he put it like that, human school sounded like literal torture. "… I guess not. I suppose my reasoning was severely flawed."

"Hey, it's okay to be a little irrational now and again. It's just part of being a person." Hal assured, reaching across the table and ruffling her hair. "And the homesickness I get. I get it all the time when I'm assigned to stay on Oa for extended periods of time, or when I have deep space missions that last months on end. Your parents, J'onn, Diana, they all get it too. It's normal."

"Is there anything I can do to stop feeling so bad?"

"Sometimes you've just got to find little things to make you more comfortable. When you feel like you're losing yourself because you're so far from home… well, sometimes it's the smallest traditions that keep you grounded." Perching his chin on his fist for a moment, Hal's eyes glazed over a little in thought. "You could try speaking Thanagarian more with me or your parents or… I got it!" He snapped his fingers, face brightening.

Digging around in the pocket of his jacket for a moment, he brandished his favorite pair of aviator sunglasses. "Let me be clear, these are not a gift. They're a… indefinite loan." He clarified.

Ski'Lira cracked the smallest of smiles as he handed them to her. Hal was one of the only members of the League that consistently remembered the nuances about Thanagarian gift-giving. "That still sounds like a gift."

"Semantics" He waved it away. "Go ahead, put them on."

After a moment's hesitation, she did so. They were far too large for her, but with a bit of finagling she managed to get the earpieces hooked into her hair so that they wouldn't fall down her nose.

"Perfect" Hal slipped his phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture of her before she could protest. "I know it's not quite a mask like you're used to seeing on Thanagar, but it's about as close as you can get without drawing attention here on Earth. Now you can wear those whenever you go out."

Neither Katar nor Shayera Hol had taken to wearing the traditional casual cloth masks when they went out in public, though it made sense considering they were supposed to blend in completely. Their backgrounds had made the transition easier for them, but Ski'Lira had no such training to fall back on. The traditional age for face masks was fourteen, which meant that while she had never personally worn a mask, it was still uncomfortable for her to see so many faces uncovered.

Truthfully, the sunglasses _did_ make her feel better, knowing that at least _her_ face was obscured. It was at that moment she decided that on her next birthday, she would ask for her first cloth mask (which she could at least wear while with the League), a tradition she had up until this point believe would be denied to her.

"Thank you, Hal" She said, voice a little quiet.

"Hey, it's my duty as your favorite uncle." He shrugged. "Now eat up, your breakfast is getting cold. And if you eat all of your eggs and drink all your orange juice, I'll give you some of my bacon."

And so she did. Because she couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat bacon.

H

 _Sharp_Harper is online_

SH: you there yet?

SH: hello?

SH: did you forget?

 _wingedVictory is online_

WV: Yes

SH: took you long enough

WV: I had to wait to use the computer. Ta'me needed it for work.

SH: who the hell is Ta'me?

WV: My dad.

SH: oh.

SH: so I hear you've been stirring up trouble. Oliver said something about you wanting to go to school?

WV: Not anymore. I've seen the error in my judgement.

SH: well that's… good for you? i wish i could be homeschooled like you sometimes. high schoolers are the worst. and i fight supervillains now, so i have high standards

WV: That is very funny

SH: you don't have to say 'this is funny' you could just use an emote. like this. : )

WV: What does colon right parenthesis mean?

WV: … Never mind. Dad explained. And then he laughed at me.

SH: hahahahahahaha

SH: haha

SH: ha

SH : )

WV: : )

SH: maybe you'll get the hang of this human thing after all

SH: so, do anything cool today?

WV: Dad and I went over some aerial maneuvers. My wings are sore from all the flying.

SH: damn

SH: i am very jealous right now

SH: wish i could fly

SH: you know, not on a plane, because i've done that

WV: In a few years, I will increase in strength.

SH: … okay what does that mean.

WV: It means that I will be able to carry you. And I can take you flying if you wish.

SH: : )

SH: i'll hold you to that

SH: we'd make a good team you know.

SH: you flying, me shooting arrows

SH: like something out of Legend of Zelda

WV: What is Legend of Zelda?

SH: …

SH: …

SH: : o

SH: next time i come over, i'm bringing over my gamecube and we're playing ever LoZ game i have

WV: I look forward to it?

SH: your life will be changed forever

WV: : )

* * *

And look at that, Roy and Ski'Lira are both Legend of Zelda nerds now. It's going to be fun when the rest of the team learns _that_ little tidbit.

Thank you again for all of your patience in waiting for this chapter! The next installment of Fight or Flight is one of my personal favorite episodes of Young Justice, Denial. I've been looking forward to writing it since I started this story.

As always, comments, questions, and concerns are welcome and I hope you all have a wonderful day!


	11. The Fate of Fate

Happy Halloween, everyone! I've been frantically working on this chapter for the last two hours trying to get it done before I go to bed, so you can all have a nice 'Treat' for Halloween. It's one o'clock in the morning now and I regret _nothing_.

Here, have a chapter that has only the vaguest connections to anything 'Halloween-like' in nature!

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 19TH, 2010  
19:39 EDT

Another day, another round of combat training. Anyone else would probably have grown bored by now, but Ski'Lira Hol _never_ tired of the thrill of combat. Of course, she much preferred to be _participating_ , but watching her teammates' performances and making in-depth critiques was entertaining too. Very early on, she had been established as a kind of stand in for Black Canary, their usual combat trainer, whenever the older woman was absent.

A long lifetime of fight training, as well as a propensity for noticing the smallest of details and mistakes made Hawkgirl a ruthless tutor.

At the moment, she was standing on the outer edge of the already illuminated combat floor, along with Wally, M'Gann, and Artemis. Kaldur and Superboy were both facing off against each other in the middle of the ring. Aqualad was the only one wearing his uniform, with everyone else opting to wear their civilian clothing.

On that note, Artemis had yet to see Ski'Lira's yellow cloth mask up until this moment, which had spawned a brief discussion about Thanagarian cultural norms, with the promise of a much longer conversation to come in the future. For now, they had to focus on combat training.

In the ten seconds it took for her to fish both a pen and a pad of paper out of the pockets of her jeans, Superboy had stripped off his shirt and thrown it to the side. She rolled her eyes seeing the pleased look on Artemis' face. She rolled her eyes a _second_ time when she saw M'Gann's raging blush.

Had neither of them heard of subtlety?

" _Initiate: Combat Training"_ The mechanical voice of the computer droned. " _3… 2… 1…"_

The moment the countdown stopped, the two opponents surged forwards and began a rapid-fire exchange of punches, kicks and dodges. Hawkgirl kept her eyes glued on the fight, already a few notes jotted down. However, her concentration was soon wavered as Artemis spoke up.

"Kaldur's uh, nice, don't you think?" A quick glance confirmed the blonde was directly addressing M'Gann. "Handsome. Commanding… You should totally ask him out."

"He's like a big brother to me." M'Gann immediately replied. "But you know who would make the cutest couple? You and Wally."

Hawkgirl honestly couldn't tell whether M'Gann was joking or not, as said speedster was in the process of trying to stuff as much of a burrito as he could manage into his mouth at once. She knew that he had to consume a much higher calorie intake in order to stay functioning, but _really_? Apparently proving something inane to himself was worth the risk of choking to death.

"You're so full of passion." M'Gann continued. "And he's so full of, uh… of-"

"It?" Artemis finished.

Ski'Lira couldn't help but snort at the comment, even as she continued writing her critique. A beat later, both M'Gann and Artemis were laughing.

Meanwhile, out in the ring, both Aqualad and Superboy had managed to lock their arms around each other in a faux-wrestling hold, only for Superboy to hook a foot around Kaldur's ankle. The Atlantean's balance was quickly disrupted and he was unable to recover fast enough, allowing Superboy to toss him halfway across the ring. Kaldur landed harshly onto his back, the red circle signifying his failure appearing under his torso.

" _Fail: Aqualad"_ The computer announced.

Superboy was panting a little from exertion as he dusted off his hands, a smile plastered firmly on his face. "Black Canary taught me that."

Ski'Lira pointedly cleared her throat.

"And Hawkgirl made me practice it over and over until she thought it was good enough." He amended at her prompting.

Satisfied, she nodded her head and prepared to walk into the ring to give the two her notes on their bout, only for the circular ceiling hatch to abruptly open, depositing Red Tornado into the cave. Superboy silently helped Kaldur up from the ground as the android walked past them without a word.

Not one to miss out on an opportunity, Kid Flash sped over to interrupt his path. "Do you have a mission for us?"

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility." Red Tornado reminded, monotone as ever.

"Yeah, well, the Batman's with the Robin doing the Dynamic Duo thing in Gotham… But you're headed somewhere, right? Hot date? Or a… _mission_?"

Well, it looked like combat training was on hold for the rest of the day. And Ski'Lira was so looking forward to her chance to finally spar with Artemis.

Kaldur took a step forward. "If we can be of help…"

After a second, the League member turned and summoned a holographic keyboard in front of him, pulling up a screen displaying the image of a familiar old man. Ski'Lira's spine stiffened and her wings flared, mouth twisting into the slightest of frowns.

"This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is one hundred and six years old." Red Tornado began.

Wally spoke up in a loud whisper. "Guy doesn't look a day over ninety."

Nonplussed, the android continued. "And he has been missing for twenty three days."

Ski'Lira's grip on her pen tightened. She knew all about the search for Kent Nelson, primarily because her parents had been a major part of it since he was first declared missing. They'd been spending the last three weeks pulling all-nighters and tracking down every lead they could get their hands on, but as Red Tornado had said, the search had yet to come to fruition.

It was… worrying, to say the least. Though she had to admit, she was confused as to why _they_ were being told this, since it was an active League mission.

"Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society." Red Tornado explained as the screen superimposed his hero persona over the image of Kent Nelson, golden helmet gleaming. "The precursor to your mentors' Justice League."

"Of course" Kaldur's eyes widened. "Nelson was Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. He was Doctor Fate."

Leaning over to Artemis, Wally made his clear displeasure known. "More like Doctor _Fake_. Guy knows a little advanced science and 'Dumbledore's' it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes."

Her pen snapped in her hand so quietly, Ski'Lira was certain that only those with enhanced hearing had heard it. Nevertheless, black ink flowed down her hand and started to drip steadily onto the pristine floor.

She couldn't care less, as she was taking a page from Superboy's book and attempting to develop heat vision via intense glare aimed at the back of Wally's oblivious head. All of her thoughts were variations of ' _How dare he'_ and _'They'll never find his body'_.

Turning back around to face the group, Red Tornado continued with his improvised debriefing. If he noticed Ski'Lira's enraged state, he did nothing to indicate as such. "Kent may simply be on one of his walkabouts. But he is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate, the source of the Doctor's mystic might… And it is unwise to leave such power unguarded."

"He's like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars!" M'Gann piped up, sounding genuinely thrilled at the revelation. "I would be honored to help find him."

Wally didn't miss a beat, shooting an arm up into the air. "Me too! So honored I can barely stand it. Magic rocks!"

Okay, yes, this was definitely going to be Wallace West's last day on this planet. Perhaps should she give him some forewarning so he could get his affairs in order before his demise?

Red Tornado brandished a small golden key he had pulled from… somewhere… "Take this. It is the key to the Tower of Fate."

Kaldur stepped forward to take it, handling it with a subtle reverence.

"What are the chances we both so admire the mystic arts?" The resident speedster chimed in, a sickeningly love struck expression on his stupid face.

It was at this moment that Artemis finally noticed the growing puddle of black ink and its source. "Whoa, what did you do?"

Ski'Lira let a short growl rumble in her throat. "Sorry for the mess. I'll clean it up later." Dropping the remains of the pen onto the ground, she stalked past the rest of her peers, making sure to shoulder check Wally. Unprepared for the blow, he was sent stumbling forwards. "I need to go get my mace."

Rubbing at his shoulder, Wally stared after the clearly irate Thanagarian. "What's her problem?"

H

In the last fifteen minutes or so, wherein Hawkgirl retrieved her mace, headed to the hangar, and boarded M'Gann's bio-ship along with the rest of the present team roster, she had managed to assuage most of her internal fury through sheer force of will and logic. She knew that Wally didn't have nearly as much experience with magic as most of his fellow teen heroes, purely due to a mixture of his own power's origin and his mentor's Rogue Gallery that primarily consisted of science-based villains. Thus, it was his ignorance that allowed her to forgive him for at least a portion of his transgressions.

Be that as it may, she was still remaining silent during the flight.

Gaze locked out the window, she found her thoughts drifting to Kent Nelson. Ski'Lira didn't know him _particularly_ well, but she did know him. He'd visited her parents' museum in St. Roch on numerous occasions, either for consultations for possibly magical artifacts or just to have a friendly conversation. On the rare occasions when they ended up alone in the same room, he would tell her about his days in the Justice Society of America, old war stories and tales of daring do that always left her riveted. The old man certainly had a way with words and knew how to tell a good story.

Her parents had been distraught by Nelson's disappearance.

She really hoped that he was safe.

Before her thoughts spiraled out of control, Artemis abruptly broke the silence. "So, Wally, when did you first realize your _honest affinity_ for sorcery?"

Wally hesitated for a moment, blatantly thrown by the question. "Well, I… I don't like to brag." _Liar_. "But, uh, before I became Kid Flash, I seriously considered becoming a wizard myself!"

And look at that, the anger's back with a vengeance.

As if sensing the murderous turn her inner monologue had taken, Kaldur glanced over at Ski'Lira, a look of complete disbelief in his eyes. She gave a pointed eye roll and clenched her jaw as they shared a moment of commiseration

"We've reached Tornado's coordinates." M'Gann's announcement shattered the tension, bringing their attention back to the mission at hand. "But…"

"Nothing's there." Superboy pointed out.

Steeling himself, Aqualad gave the order. "Take us down."

H

SALEM  
AUGUST 19TH, 2010  
20:22 EDT

Thanks to M'Gann's expert piloting, the bio-ship was now sitting primly in the middle of a deserted street. Ski'Lira personally thought it was a terrible decision, but decided to let it go for now. Only if something serious happened would she allow it to become her problem.

Once they had departed the ship, Kid Flash immediately took off, doing a sweep of the empty park to try to locate the Tower.

For a moment, Ski'Lira wondered if maybe she should tell them that the Tower was elusive and couldn't be found unless invited, and that Aqualad currently had the only means of entry in his pocket.

Ultimately, she opted to give them five minutes to figure it out by themselves.

Wally returned from his search, skidding to a halt in front of Artemis. "Nothing. This isn't simple camouflage."

"So, what do you think?" Artemis asked. "Adaptive micro-optive electronics combined with phase shifting?"

"Absolutely… _Not!_ " The speedster hastily corrected as Miss Martian stepped up beside him. "Clearly mystic powers are at work here."

He definitely wasn't wrong.

Meanwhile, Kaldur had a pensive look on his face as he held the golden key in his palm. "A test of faith…" He inspected the key closely before apparently coming to some kind of realization. "Stand behind me." Taking a few steps forward, he pushed the key forward into the empty space in front of him, only for it to vanish into seemingly nothing. Turning the key, there was a ripple of magic as the Tower materialized.

The building, despite being perfectly square in structure, was comprised of irregularly shaped bricks. The tower rose high into the sky, the top barely visible from where they were standing. The entry door was a simple arch in shape, made of heavy wood and wrought iron.

Ski'Lira felt her mace hum and warm just the slightest bit, and she smiled as she patted it fondly.

Apparently her companions were still struck in a bit of a stupor from the Tower's appearance, so she decided to take the initiative, striding forwards. "I wish I had a camera. The looks on your faces… utterly priceless." Pushing past Aqualad, she opened the door herself, leading the way into the tower.

Shaking off their shock, her companions followed after her, albeit far more cautiously.

The door slammed shut behind them with a loud bang, before vanishing into the stonework, leaving behind a solid wall.

"Uh, where'd the door go?" Superboy asked.

A slight glimmer was all the warning they received before a glowing illusion of Kent Nelson manifested in front of them. "Greetings." It began. "You have entered with a key, but the Tower only recognizes one of you."

Hawkgirl's eyes widened a little behind her mask. She never realized that Nelson had keyed her signature into the Tower, despite the fact that she had never actually visited before. She was more than a little touched by the gesture.

"Please state your purpose and intent." The illusion demanded.

Kid Flash stepped forward, sweeping his arms in a grandiose manner. "We are true believers, here to find Doctor Fate."

Up until this point, Ski'Lira didn't know that an illusion could look exasperated, but this one sure did. It turned to face Ski'Lira for but a moment, giving her an apologetic look before fizzling out of existence.

An ominous cracking noise was all the warning they obtained before the floor shattered from underneath them, letting them all fall into the abyss below, a boiling pit of lava at the very bottom.

The team all spurred themselves into action. Miss Martian caught Wally with her telekinesis, keeping them both aloft with her powers. Artemis drew a hand crossbow that she had up until this moment kept concealed, firing a grappling arrow into the steep side of the pit, snagging Aqualad and crashing them both into the wall.

Hawkgirl gave a few powerful flaps of her wings, bringing herself into an awkward hover, the maneuver made difficult by both the confined space and the strange movement of the superheated air around them. Superboy caught the side of the wall with his fingers, falling down further and further until only his feet were submerged into the lava. Letting out a cry, he pulled himself up far enough that he wasn't touching the lava any longer, saving his feet.

"Those were my favorite boots." He grumbled, glaring at his newly bared feet. "This Nelson guy better be worth it."

Drifting slowly downward, M'Gann was visibly struggling to keep herself and Wally in the air. "Having trouble maintaining altitude… I'm so hot."

"You certainly are." The speedster said in a dreamy voice.

"Wally!" Artemis snapped.

"Hey, inches above sizzling death, I'm _entitled_ to speak my mind!"

"My physiology and M'Gann's are susceptible to extreme heat." Kaldur revealed, his skin beading with sweat. "We must climb out quickly."

Not one to remain idle, Hawkgirl had made her way back to the top of the pit, only to find that much like with the door to the Tower, the entrance had completely vanished. All that remained at the top was roughly hewn rock. "Only problem with that is the top's sealed closed!" She shouted. "I COMPLETELY BLAME YOU FOR THIS, GINGERSNAP!"

"WHY AM _I_ BEING BLAMED?!" The speedster yelled back.

M'Gann suddenly smacked herself in the forehead. "Hello, Megan! We never truly answered the question!" Raising her voice so she knew that Tower would hear her, M'Gann addressed the building itself. "Red Tornado sent us to see if Mr. Nelson and the Helmet were safe!"

At her truthful words, two sides of a tiled floor slid over the lava, cutting it off and permitting them to land safely. Superboy merely jumped off from the wall, while Wally and Miss Martian both fell gracelessly. Artemis rappelled herself and Kaldur down, while Hawkgirl tucked her wings and executed a perfect dive, flaring out her wings at the last moment and landing on her feet.

"Show off" Wally muttered, presumably still peeved about her blaming him for the debacle earlier.

"This platform, it should be red hot." Bending down, Kaldur placed a hand flat on the ground. "But it is cool to the touch."

"Don't worry, Megalicious." Wally proclaimed, slinging an arm around the Martian's shoulders. "I got you."

"Enough!" Surging forward, Artemis placed a hand on Wally's chest and shoved him backwards. Just like that, the archer gained more respect from Ski'Lira. "Your little 'impress Megan at all costs' game nearly got us all barbecued!"

"When did this become _my_ fault?!"

"When you lied to that… whatever it was… and called yourself a _true believer_!"

A hurt look on her face, M'Gann turned to face him. "Wally, you don't believe?"

Under the force of her betrayed look and the scathing glares from both Artemis and Hawkgirl, Wally finally broke. "Fine! Fine! I lied about believing in magic. But magic is the _real_ lie, a major load!"

"Wally…" Aqualad began, his usually calm tone bearing an icy edge to it. "I studied or a year that conservatory of sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water bearers."

"Dude, you ever hear of _bioelectricity?_ Hey, in primitive cultures, _fire_ was once considered magical too. Today, it's all just a bunch of tricks."

Crossing her arms, Artemis frowned. "You're pretty close-minded for a guy who can break the sound barrier in his _sneakers_."

"That's science!" The speedster immediately defended. "I recreated Flash's laboratory experiment and here I am. _Everything_ can be explained by science. Hawkgirl!" He turned to her, a near-frantic look in his green eyes. "You Thanagarians only believe in proven facts, right? Tell them magic isn't real!"

Hawkgirl narrowed her eyes. If he was able to see them, he probably would have backed off seeing the dangerous glint in them. "Of course magic is real. Your tiny human brain just can't seem to comprehend it." She jerked her chin towards the blonde archer. "You should be more like Artemis."

Wally's mouth dropped open, seemingly taken aback by this turn of events, but he was still stalwart in his belief. "Magic. Isn't. Real!"

"Let us test Wally's theory, shall we?" Kaldur calmly proposed, snagging the handle of a trapdoor on the platform they were standing on.

"Wait! The backdraft from the lava will roast us alive!"

A moment after Kaldur opened the trapdoor, a flurry of snowflakes emerged from what appeared to be an Arctic landscape beneath them.

"It's snow." M'Gann exclaimed with delight.

Artemis gave their resident non-believer a deadpan look. "Do you ever get tired of being wrong?"

One by one, they jumped through the exit, the gravity switching directions on them so they all ended up standing upright in a mountainous, snow-covered region. Hawkgirl happily fluffed her feathers at the breeze that tugged at her wings. Behind them, the trapdoor disappeared in a burst of yellow light.

"Well?" Artemis asked expectantly.

"Ever heard of string theory?" Wally asked. "We're in a pocket dimension."

To be fair, Wally was partially right. The interior of the Tower of Fate was _basically_ a sentient pocket dimension that molded to fit the whims of its owner, though its origin was purely mystical in nature.

"What's that?" M'Gann pointed out what could only be Nelson's cane, floating a few feet or so above the snowy ground, an aura of blue-tinted magic keeping it in place.

"Ooh" Wally said. "Maybe it's Nelson's _magic wand_."

He reached out at the same time as Artemis, the two speaking in tandem. "I got it!" This declaration was loosely followed by another unified "I can't let go!"

The blue aura turned altered into a vibrant yellow, the cane jerking upwards and taking the redhead and the blonde with it. In a burst of magic, the cane, Artemis, and Wally vanished.

H

After a few tense minutes of waiting, wherein neither their companions reappeared, nor did any kind of exit materialized for their use, they made the mutual decision to start walking and hope they could stumble across a door.

Naturally, they had found themselves filling the silence with conversation.

"I don't understand Wally." M'Gann admitted. "It's almost like he needs to believe the impossible can't happen."

"Wally uses his understanding of science to control what he can't comprehend." Kaldur explained. "Acknowledging the existence of magic would relinquish the last vestige of that control."

"That is no excuse for his behavior!" Ski'Lira snapped, kicking at a nearby chunk of ice and sending it flying off into the distance. "He's been acting disrespectful and childish."

Aqualad stopped walking, effectively bringing the entire group to a halt. "Perhaps…" He admitted as he moved to stand in front of her. "But can we not forgive him for his ignorance?"

" _No._ "

"What's up with you?" It was Superboy who had spoken, arms crossed and doing his best to appear indifferent, but there was a slight tilt to his brow that betrayed his concern.

"No offense, but…" M'Gann continued. "You're… usually pretty open-minded about people's opinions… Most of the time. What's so different about this?"

Inhaling deeply through her nose, Hawkgirl let out a long sigh, her wings drooping behind her. "I… I'm worried. About Mr. Nelson." She admitted quietly. "He's a good man _and_ he's been a hero longer than we've all been _alive_. And Wally's been treating him like a _joke_." She spat, eyes blazing and hands clenching into fists. "If it were _just_ his flippant disregard for the mystic arts, _maybe_ I could forgive him. But instead he hasn't stopped insulting one of the greatest men I've ever had the privilege to meet."

"I'm sorry." M'Gann reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it a little. "I, _we_ , had no idea you know Mr. Nelson."

She gave the smallest of shrugs, making no move to dislodge the Martian's hand. "He's known my parents practically since they first landed on Earth. He likes to visit and… he tells very good stories."

A brief, awkward silence settled over them, as M'Gann visibly struggled to come up with something to say. In the end, it was Aqualad who tried to assuage her fears. "We'll find him. And then maybe Wally will see exactly who he has been dismissing so casually."

Cracking a smile, she gave an amused snort. "Knowing Nelson, he's probably putting up a hell of a fight." Spine stiffening, she hardened her resolve, thoroughly done with her moment of weakness. "Now, I think it's high time we got out of here."

"How?" Superboy asked. "We're in the middle of nowhere."

Hawkgirl's smile turned into a vicious smirk. "If only Wally could have been around for this." In a smooth motion, she removed her mace from her belt and hefted it threateningly in both hands. At her call, a miasma of crackling white energy formed around the spiked head of the mace, illuminating the immediate vicinity. "Hey Tower, you've got five seconds to take us out of here before I start swinging. One… _Two_ …"

With the softest of _pops_ , a nondescript door appeared in front of them, already opening in a welcome manner.

Her three companions were staring at her with looks akin to terror. Aqualad had actually taken a physical step backwards.

"Did… Did you just _threaten_ the Tower?" M'Gann asked in a horrified voice.

Ski'Lira readjusted her hold on her weapon and strode towards the door. "Who am I to ignore the groundwork my mother left behind?"

H

The door betrayed them immediately, causing them all to fall straight down towards a platform in the middle of a room that looked like something straight out of an MC Escher painting.

Or Jareth's castle from Labyrinth.

Shaking that thought out of her head before she inevitably got one of the insanely catchy songs stuck in her head, Hawkgirl focused on landing on the platform safely, minding both her companions' locations and the giant golden bell that took up a large amount of space.

Once she was upright, she took notice of the _real_ Kent Nelson standing with Artemis and Kid Flash, a sigh of relief leaving her. She offered a small wave, getting his attention.

The old man smiled at her. "Friends of yours?"

Before she could reply, a stream of blue energy shot straight towards them. Kid Flash sped off to the side with Kent in his grasp, while Artemis merely ducked and rolled to avoid it.

Whipping her head to the source, Hawkgirl recognized Abra Kadabra, but the other was a mystery to her, a fact that only boded ill will for her and her team.

Vaguely, she registered Wally saying something to Kent, but couldn't quite make out the words. A second energy shot forced them all to scatter in different directions. Abra was relentless in his assault, forcing them to stay apart and away from Kent Nelson.

A ringing noise drew her attention towards the massive bell, which Kent Nelson seemed to have rung with his cane. Golden light surrounded the metallic monstrosity, as the old man stepped into the bell, Wally with him, and the mysterious enemy close behind them.

Just as she tucked her wings in to attempt to follow them through the makeshift portal, Abra sent a beam targeted straight at her. She just barely managed to dodge off to the side, but found herself unable to recover and started plummeting straight downwards.

As she passed one of the platforms on the way down, an iron grip snagged her wrist. Looking up, she saw Superboy crouched down, holding onto her tightly. With a scary amount of ease, he stood up and pulled her back up, depositing her safely onto stable ground.

"Thanks" She said immediately.

"No problem" He assured. "Where-"

"Look out!" Hawkgirl saw the tangled net of crackling electricity hurtling towards Superboy and reacted immediately, pushing him aside and allowing it to snag her. A combination of force and energy drove her onto her back on the platform, the electric net trapping her firmly on the ground.

Superboy immediately attempted to grasp the net with his bare hands, which proved to be a futile effort as he was shocked and thrown backwards. That moment was all Abra needed to trap Superboy too.

Ski'Lira tried to push from the inside, only for the nerves in her hands and halfway up her arms to light up in indescribable, brief pain. Snatching them back, she realized she was well and truly stuck, and all she could do was watch and hope one of her teammates managed to get the upper hand over Abra.

Aqualad went down not long after Superboy, leaving only M'Gann and Artemis active.

"I'm going to try to get through to Kid Flash, cover me!" The Martian demanded, and the archer immediately acted to draw Abra's fire. Miss Martian seemed to have gotten the message through, thanks largely to Artemis' persistent distraction.

But in the end, they all failed, every one of them trapped.

It was all up to Kid Flash now.

H

After everything was over, neither Ski'Lira nor the rest of her captured teammates could agree exactly how long Abra Kadabra had them captured. This discrepancy was entirely due to the near constant electric shocks sent coursing through their systems that caused and indescribable amount of pain.

When the warm yellow glow of an Ankh appeared behind their captor, they were finally relieved from their prisons (as Abra was relieved of his clothing, apart from a black leather thong and a golden medallion).

Superboy was the first to stand up, as Abra blinked in confusion at the sudden turn of events.

"Show's over." Superboy said as he punched Abra in the most deadpan manner he could, instantly knocking out the fake magician.

H

SALEM  
AUGUST 20TH, 2010  
02:15 EDT

"Are you certain you will be alright on your own?" Aqualad asked for the third time, scrutinizing the visible parts of her face for any dishonesty.

"I am certain." Ski'Lira answered, just as she had the two times before (albeit in different ways). Even if she _was_ lying, it was highly unlikely that the Atlantean would be able to tell the difference. "I can more than handle any threat that comes." She patted her mace for emphasis. "You need to get the Helmet to safety."

"Very well." Kaldur finally relented. "I trust you."

"Thank you." She held out her hand, causing Kaldur to stare at it with a puzzle expression for a moment before he realized what she wanted from him. Just as he had seen Artemis do, he mirrored her gesture and completed the traditional Thanagarian 'handshake'.

Giving her a final nod, Aqualad ran towards the bio-ship hovering next to the Tower with its ramp extended and waiting for him to board, where the rest of the team was strapped in and ready for take-off.

That just left Ski'Lira alone with the still body of Kent Nelson on the roof of the Tower of Fate.

Wally had told his side of the story in a near frantic rush when the Tower finally allowed them access to the roof. When she saw the body of Kent Nelson, Ski'Lira had proceeded to slam a fist into the nearest stone wall.

The stonework making up the mystical tower proved to be much tougher than normal brick, as instead of crumbling as it usually would have, she broke two of the fine bones in her hand and dislocated a finger.

Ski'Lira had proposed the plan once the haze of anger had left her, namely that the others take the Helmet of Fate back to Mount Justice for safe keeping, while she remained behind with Kent Nelson's body until the League showed up to retrieve him.

Miss Martian had assured she would contact Red Tornado directly once she was on the ship, which meant it was only a matter of time until the League arrived.

Standing tall, Ski'Lira held her mace in a ready position, just in case.

"It's awfully nice of you to stay with him."

Ski'Lira didn't twitch, but she did turn her head towards the source of the voice. The same illusion of the old man that had greeted them at the entrance stood next to her now, his presence strangely warm and fending off some of the chill of the night air.

"It is the least I can do." Ski'Lira replied. After a beat of silence, she couldn't help but ask the question burning in her mind. "I thought you would have been dispelled when he…"

"I am a part of this tower up until the good doctor decides he doesn't need me anymore." The illusion answered.

She let out a little hum.

"Never thought I'd see the day that a Thanagarian actually _defended_ me." It continued. "You and your people have a tendency to break magic more often than not. Speaking of, I'd appreciate if you kept that mace well away from me."

Ski'Lira let out an amused huff. "My people learned not to trust the mystic arts, and adapted accordingly. And don't worry, I'm being careful. For now." She smirked at him.

"Cheeky. Just like your mother. Just as scary, too." Head tilting upwards, illusory eyes scanned the sky. "It's a nice night, isn't it?"

"Yes. It is."

A comfortable silence settled over the vigilant Thanagarian and her temporary companion, the only sounds coming from the rustle of the trees and the animals scattered around the park. A familiar noise drew Ski'Lira's attention, as multiple silhouettes descended from the sky. Red Tornado was first, followed by her mother and Zatara, who was flying courtesy of a disc of purple energy.

Finally relaxing from her stance, Ski'Lira hooked her mace back onto her belt just as her mother landed in front of her. _"Ski'Lira, are you unharmed?"_ Shayera asked in rapid fire Thanagarian.

" _I'm fine, da'mi."_ She assured immediately, eyes snapping to the phantasm next to her. " _But…"_

" _It's alright, we know. M'Gann already informed us."_ Her mother assured, slinging an arm around her shoulders and leading her away from the body as Zatara and Red Tornado stood around the remains of the great hero. Zatara retrieved his wand with a flick of his hand and began casting an intricate spell, the framework of a magical coffin forming around Nelson.

Shayera sat down on the roof's ledge, patting the vacant spot next to her in invitation. It was mere moments after they were both seated that a voice addressed the elder Hol.

"Shayera Hol, I'd say it was a pleasure, but the last time we met you put a hole in me." The Spirit of the Tower began, almost nonchalant in tone.

"I didn't regret it then and I don't regret it now." Shayera's smile was sharp.

"You'll be happy to know your daughter took after you in at least that respect." The illusion chuckled. "You did a good job raising her. Kent thought so, too."

"Thank you."

"Well, I think my job is done, at least for now. Perhaps I'll see you again when the Doctor returns home?"

Ski'Lira gave the slightest of nods as her mother lifted her hand in farewell, the spirit finally dissipating in a cloud of golden sparks that seemed to seep back into the stonework of the Tower from which it was born.

At her mother's subtle suggestion, Ski'Lira started to tell the whole story of their endeavor in the tower, including the parts she heard from Wally. When she mentioned threatening the tower itself, Shayera patted her on the back in pride.

" _So, the Helmet almost claimed Wally?"_ Her mother asked once her story was finished. _"That certainly would have been a mess if it had."_

" _I suppose. If it hadn't released him, I would have rung his head like a goddamn bell with my mace until he let him go."_

Letting out a bark of laughter, she extended out a wing and wrapped it around her daughter in a feathery hug. _"That's my girl. I'm glad you all ended up unscathed. Abra is formidable on his own, but his companion…"_

" _Who was he, anyway?"_

" _His name is Klarion, a Lord of Chaos. A counterpart to Doctor Fate, of sorts."_ Hawkwoman frowned a little. _"He's faced off against multiple members of the League, and it rarely ends well."_

Not able to help her wince, Ski'Lira looked down at her hands, one of which was mottled with dark bruises. _"I'm sorry we couldn't get to Kent in time."_

" _I know you tried as hard as you could. Kent was an old man and knowing him…"_ The slightest of smiles appeared on Hawkwoman's face. _"I'm sure he was relieved to finally find peace. Now…"_ She hopped off of her perch as Red Tornado and Zatara ascended into the sky, the newly formed coffin levitating between the two of them courtesy of Zatara. _"Let's get out of here."_

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 20TH, 2010  
05:22 EDT

After an improvised _very_ early morning waffle breakfast at a twenty four hour diner in Salem, Ski'Lira had admitted she would rather return to the mountain rather than head home. She wanted to check up on her team after the ordeal they'd gone through.

She had fully expected everyone to be asleep by the time she returned, but the light still on in the kitchen proved her wrong. Artemis was standing by the stove, just retrieving a whistling kettle as Ski'Lira caught sight of her.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Artemis jumped a little, shooting the winged teen a half-hearted glare as she grabbed a mug and a teabag. "Yeah, too keyed up from… everything, I guess." After a second's hesitation, she grabbed a second of each, setting to prepare both mugs as Ski'Lira sat down on a stool, forearms resting on the countertop.

It wasn't too long before the blonde was sitting next to her and handing her a mug.

"Thank you" Ski'Lira said, taking a sip immediately of the still-scalding hot tea, earning a wide-eyed look from Artemis. Deciding to take pity upon her, she explained. "I have a higher tolerance for extreme temperatures."

"Oh. That's… pretty neat, actually." Artemis admitted. "I, uh, keep forgetting you're not actually human."

"You think the wings would give me away."

Snorting in amusement, Artemis nudged her leg with a foot. "So…. I assume everything went okay?"

"Kent Nelson's body is now safely in the League's possession."

"Good. That's good." The blonde turned her attention to the liquid in her cup.

A companionable, comfortable silence settled over them, then. Two warriors quietly commiserating over a battle both won and lost in the wee hours of the morning. There was something poetic about it, really.

It was as she was going over the events of the day in her head that Ski'Lira realized she'd nearly forgotten something. "I wanted to thank you for yelling at Wally and getting him to stop his inane flirting."

"Honestly, I was more than happy to do so. I'm surprised you didn't, though."

"I… was a little worried I would have gotten carried away and probably punched him. That and you were much faster on the draw, as it were." Her brow furrowed a little. "It's always much more difficult to reign him in without Robin around, but… it seems like you've got it handled, at least for the moment."

"Thanks, I guess." Artemis smiled a little. "But trust me, it's a job I _do not_ want full time."

"I don't think _anyone_ would."

The two shared a laugh at that.

"For the record, I talked with Wally while you were still gone and... I think he realizes how badly he was behaving."

"That's good. It means I won't have to have a talk with him later." Ski'Lira smiled. "A talk I am sure he wouldn't enjoy in the slightest."

Artemis seemed pensive for a moment. "... I know I'm changing the topic out of nowhere, but how _did_ you become a hero, exactly?" The blonde asked, sounding genuinely interested. "I'm just curious."

"If you're expecting some inspirational story, you're going to be severely disappointed." Ski'Lira took a sip of her tea, which had cooled a fair bit. "As you are aware, my parents are Hawkman and Hawkwoman. They lived here on Earth while I stayed on Thanagar, raised by my mother's cousin and her wife. When I was nine, I moved here permanently. Thanagarians are trained in combat from childhood, so I was already well-versed in physical conflict. After Batman acquired Robin as his protégé, and then after Roy came along… It was a logical progression, more than anything else."

"So you became a hero… because you were told to?"

"I was _asked_ to, and I said yes." She corrected. "And it is definitely not a decision I regret."

Artemis blinked a couple of times, an unreadable look in her eyes. "But, you were still forced to train, right?" Her words came out sounding slightly strangled, but the brunette didn't comment on it.

Ski'Lira let out a noncommittal hum. "Yes and no. Remember, I am not human. I do not have the same wants or needs that you humans do. For a Thanagarian, fighting is a part of us. In here." She pressed a hand to her chest. "And in here." She tapped her forehead. "Untrained Thanagarians do not tend to last long."

Artemis winced. "Right. Yeah, I guess."

"While we are being honest…" Ski'Lira began slowly. "I suppose I must admit something. I was the one to report your presence at Gotham High School during the battle with A.M.A.Z.O. to Batman and Green Arrow." Quick as a viper, she put her hand underneath Artemis' mug a split second before the blonde released it in her shock. Snagging it from her hands, Ski'Lira safely deposited it onto the countertop.

"You… But… Did you tell the others?"

"No. It was not my place." Waving her hand in a casual gesture, Ski'Lira did her best to exude an aura of calm to temper Artemis' panic. "I just thought you should be aware." She raised her mug back to her lips.

"So, you know. What do you plan to do about it?"

Freezing in place, Hawkgirl rose an unseen eyebrow as she pulled the mug back away from her face. "Do? What would I do?"

Genuinely taken aback, Artemis spluttered. "I… I don't know. Something?"

"Just because I know you are not Green Arrow's niece doesn't mean I care about where you came from."

Snapping her mouth shut with a quiet click, the archer was thoroughly stunned into silence for a good minute or so. "You just…. Don't care about where I'm from? At all?"

"No." Ski'Lira answered succinctly. "Consider it another quirk of Thanagarian culture that differs from Earth."

Artemis blew out a long breath, the tension leaving her shoulders as she did so. She took a sip of her tea, only to wrinkle her nose in distaste as she realized it had gone cold. Ski'Lira, on the other hand, had no such qualms and drained her mug in one last go.

"Are you still not tired?"

Artemis gave a small huff of frustration. "Not at all. This 'Sleepy Time Tea' did _nothing_."

"… Up for a spar?"

"You're on."

* * *

So for those of you who never watched the animated Justice League cartoon, Hawkgirl punched a hole in the side of the Tower of Fate with her mace when the League confronted Doctor Fate for 'kidnapping' Solomon Grundy, hence 'leaving groundwork'. I just like the thought of both the Tower of Fate and Dr. Fate having a healthy dose of fear for a Thanagarian at the end of their rope.

And that one on one fight between Klarion and Dr. Fate? So cool. I'm so sorry I didn't let Hawkgirl see it in person. But oh well.

Next Time on Flight or Flight: *Checks notes* Another episode chapter, 'Downtime!'

Hope you all have a very Happy Halloween!


	12. A Lesson in Understanding

Here's the next chapter for you all! It's a little shorter than most of the episode chapters, mostly because this one is Aqualad-centric and there was literally _no_ justification for Hawkgirl following him to Atlantis, so instead enjoy some father-daughter bonding.

Shoutout to ADDBaby for coining the nickname "Brave Predator of the Sky" for our lovely Thanagarian heroine.

Also, I had no idea until I looked at the wiki entry for this episode that they actually expand on the whole Clayface fight in the comic. Since I don't own said comic, I was limited as to what I could do dialogue and action-wise, so I tried my best.

* * *

GOTHAM CITY  
AUGUST 27TH, 2010  
06:17 EDT

Hawkgirl wanted it on the record (and believe her, _this was definitely going on her report in detail_ ) that this situation was _not_ her fault.

And any blame she had was miniscule compared to Aqualad.

A few hours earlier, Batman had summoned the Team (with the exception of Artemis) to respond to an emergency threat. Said emergency threat? Clayface was running rampant in the sewers of Gotham and needed to be tracked down as quickly as possible. They had been explicitly ordered by the Dark Knight that this was a tracking mission _only_. Hawkgirl had been a little disappointed that they wouldn't get a chance to fight him, but she understood the logic and was completely willing to defer to Batman's superior judgement and direct orders.

From the moment she dropped into the sewer, she'd been uneasy, but was doing everything in her power to make sure none of her teammates picked up on even a single iota of her growing panic. The proximity of the tunnels were unnerving her, reminding her far too vividly of their adventure in CADMUS's underground lab. But she focused on the matter at hand, expanding out her senses as far as they would reach for any indication of the clay-composed monstrosity's presence.

Naturally, things went downhill _very_ quickly.

They had managed to find Clayface fairly easily in the sprawling sewer tunnels, but he'd caught them off guard and attacked, before trudging off once again. They'd retreated back to M'Gann's ship to both use the Bioship to track him and so Robin and Kid Flash could change uniforms. Ski'Lira had resigned herself to having muddy armor and sludge-caked wings. Eventually they managed to find him _again_ , this time in a sprawling warehouse.

Aqualad, their _prestigious leader_ , had agreed with her team's inane idea of _splitting up_.

She had immediately made her distaste for the plan known, loudly and in great detail. Hawkgirl had suggested dividing into pairs, that way they could cover more ground and they would have more protection in case they _did_ end up in an altercation with Clayface.

But Kaldur had been adamant _and_ her teammates insisted that they could handle themselves alone.

She'd reluctantly backed off, deferring to Aqualad's higher position of leadership and respecting the chain of command.

Thus, the Team had completely split up.

She started to grow suspicious when she heard nothing from either the comm unit or M'Gann's telepathic link, so it was likely that at least the Martian had already been compromised.

Just as she was about to start doubling back, Aqualad appeared at the end of the hall.

"There you are." He said, relief on his face, albeit his normally expressive green eyes uncharacteristically blank. "I thought Clayface had taken you as well."

Hawkgirl considered him for a moment before promptly detaching the head of her mace from the handle and launching it towards his chest with a hearty swing. The metal ball sunk into his flesh with a loud squelching noise, making 'Aqualad's' face distort. Reeling it back by the chain, she kept it spinning like the meteor hammer is resembled as 'Aqualad' exploded into a humanoid pile sentient muck that was grinning at her with misshapen teeth.

"You're much smarter than the others." Clayface practically leered, the clay composing his body pulsing slightly as he twisted and reformed his body.

"I just pay closer attention." She replied, lips drawing back in a snarl. "You smell of clay no matter _what_ shape you take."

"Clever"

That's when a tendril of clay lashed out, only to be promptly tangled in the metal chain of her weapon, sufficiently deflected from her body, but it was just enough of a distraction for Clayface to get in close. Reaching out with a massive fist, he snagged one of her wings and threw her into the nearest wall.

Thankfully the wall was old brick, which meant that it practically exploded on impact. Sprawled out on the ground for a moment, she coughed as she pulled herself back up to a standing position, only to see Aqualad standing in front of her. A quick sniff confirmed that this was the real Kaldur'ahm.

"Hawkgirl, what-?"

"Move!" She pushed him backwards as Clayface crashed through the rest of the wall, roaring at the two young heroes.

To his credit, Kaldur immediately acted, summoning his water bearers and surging forwards to engage the monster. Taking the moment of reprieve he had given her, Ski'Lira gave a whole body shudder as she realized that the brick dust from the shattered wall was sticking to the sludge already on her skin. A quick test of her wings confirmed that flying was definitely out, as the grime had dried since they had left the sewers.

Letting out a frustrated huff, she reeled in the chain of her mace, returning it to its usual static form before diving into the fray.

Aqualad and Hawkgirl proceeded to lead Clayface in a tag-team chase throughout the warehouse. The game was all about buying time at this point, just waiting for their back-up to arrive.

They both ended up being cornered in a large room with the unconscious bodies of the rest of their teammates, which at least explained the mystery of where they had all ended up. Hawkgirl took on Clayface alone while Aqualad checked everyone else's vitals, deeming them alright for the most part before joining it.

But it was a losing battle and they both knew it. They were both growing tired and slowing down, while Clayface was just as fully of energy as when they'd first engaged him. One of the benefits of being sentient clay, she supposed.

An unlucky hit from Clayface sent her careening, her helmet slamming onto a metal support pole with a hearty clang. Vision slightly blurred from the impact and breath thoroughly taken out of her lungs, she could only watch as Aqualad was pinned to the wall and taken down.

Their time had finally run out.

Ski'Lira noticed a rapidly growing shadow in the light being cast down through the skylight above, which was all the warning she received before Batman crashed in through the window, sending shards of glass all around them. Without missing a beat, he threw two explosive batarangs onto Clayface's arm as he whirled around. Batman back flipped out of the reach of his subsequent attack, drawing a device from his belt. Two metallic prongs stuck deep into the malleable "flesh" and electricity flowed down the wires with a press of a button.

Letting out a horrific roar, there was nothing that Clayface could do as he melted into a puddle of goo.

Casting his masked gaze around the room, Batman looked _far_ from happy.

Hawkgirl and Aqualad were the first to recover, as they had been the only two that managed to maintain consciousness. With Batman's help, they had managed to rouse everyone and do a cursory check for injury. The worst was Kid Flash, who had suffered a minor concussion, but with his accelerated healing it was sure to clear up soon. Everyone else mostly boasted bruised bodies and equally injured pride.

Batman had proceeded to usher them out of the warehouse and escorted them to the nearest Zeta point, which was luckily only about a twenty minutes away on foot from their current position. With his seemingly boundless knowledge of every inch of Gotham City, Batman led them through alleyways, had them scale buildings and bound across rooftops, all the while remaining in the shadows that he favored.

Their mentor's presence had been more than effective in keeping them silent, even the ever-talkative Kid Flash.

But Hawkgirl was angry. So, very, _very,_ angry. And it was well proven that when a Thanagarian was angry, they tended to lash out rather than keeping quiet.

So, she dropped back so she was next to Aqualad, who had a faraway look in his eyes that just stoked the fires of her temper further.

"I hope you've realized your mistake." She hissed, trying her best to make sure they weren't overheard.

Kaldur's eyes cleared as he turned his focus to her. "I apologize, but I did not hear what you said. Do you mind repeating it?"

A growl rumbled in her chest and she resisted the urge to immediately punch him in the face. "I _said_ I hope you've realized your mistake. Namely, _not listening to your second in command_."

Aqualad glanced away, refusing to meet her eyes. Or at least the closest approximation one could get with a helmet.

"I apologize, but-"

"No, no excuses. I don't want to hear _any_ excuses from you." She snapped, raising her voice a little more than she meant to, which meant she quickly gained Batman's attention.

"Hawkgirl, stand down." He snapped.

But Hawkgirl couldn't quite bring herself to do so, instead stopping and grabbing Aqualad's arm in a tight grip. "I told you _explicitly_ what would happen if any of us tried to take Clayface on alone, and you. Didn't. Listen. If we had _died_ , would you even care?"

"Hawkgirl!"

Ski'Lira froze at the barked command before releasing Aqualad's arm. Clenching her jaw, she looked up to see Batman standing in front of them, disapproval practically radiating from him.

For the rest of the walk, Aqualad was moved to the front of the group just behind Batman with Hawkgirl sandwiched between Superboy and Robin at the very back, with Miss Martian and Kid Flash acting as a buffer.

It came as a relief to everyone when they finally reached the Zeta Point.

MOUNT JUSTICE  
AUGUST 27TH, 2010  
07:58 EDT

"I need to talk to Aqualad." Batman announced after they had all finally made it inside the cave. "The rest of you, hit the showers and head home."

"Head home?" Superboy scoffed. "I am home."

Wally, M'Gann, and Superboy all immediately headed deeper inside the mountain, while Ski'Lira and Robin stayed behind with Aqualad. Hawkgirl had her arms crossed, more than ready for what was sure to be a hell of a lecture.

"Just Aqualad." Batman said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Shooting Aqualad one last scathing glare, Ski'Lira headed towards the showers. Vaguely she registered Robin muttering something under his breath as he walked beside her, clearly unhappy with the turn of events, but she was too preoccupied with both her outrage and the mud that was clinging to her.

When she walked into the shower section designated for the female team member's use, M'Gann was humming an aimless tune to herself in one of the cubicles. Setting her set of civvies on the counter, Ski'Lira stripped down and stepped into the spray.

"The mission… didn't really go well, huh?" M'Gann asked tentatively.

"Understatement" Ski'Lira mumbled, scrubbing the top of her head as hard as she could, not caring that she was only tangling it further. All she cared about was getting the unidentified sewer detritus _off of her_. "I _told_ him that separating was a bad idea."

"Yeah, it…it was. I still can't believe I let Clayface trick me like that." There was a soft _smack_ noise that was presumably M'Gann hitting her hand against the wall of the shower in frustration.

"Now you know for next time. This won't be the last time someone will try to use our teammate's faces against us, I can guarantee that."

"I'm definitely not looking forward to that…" M'Gann paused when she heard a hearty _whump_ noise. "Um… Are you okay?"

Hawkgirl let out a frustrated snarl as she turned in the shower stall, whapping her wings firmly on the walls again. "This cubicle is too small to properly clean my wings."

"Do you… need help?"

Letting out a long huff, Ski'Lira turned off the shower and mentally declared defeat. "I appreciate the offer, but I doubt it will help. I'm just going to go home." Not caring that she was still dripping wet, she retrieved her clothes and pulled them on, along with her cloth mask that quickly soaked through with water thanks to her hair.

As she tucked her dirtied uniform, armor, and mace under her arm, M'Gann stepped out tentatively from the shower, a bright yellow towel wrapped around her. "Um, have a nice night, Hawkgirl."

"You too." Giving a farewell wave with her free hand, Ski'Lira trudged out of the bathroom, leaving wet footprints in her wake.

H

ST. ROCH, LOUISIANA  
AUGUST 27TH, 2010  
07:12 CST

"Well, this is definitely one of the stranger things I've caught you doing."

Ski'Lira shot a glare her father's way, but didn't stop her task. Namely, she was carefully trying to power wash her wings via the hose attached to the side of the house.

Shaking his head with a fond smile on his face, he took the hose from her hand. "Turn around"

Relieved that she wouldn't have to keep twisting her arms into steadily more impossible angles to wash off her feathers, she complied and stretched her wings to their full length. The moment the first powerful stream hit her, she tensed a little, but stayed still.

"What the hell did you get into?" Katar asked as he stepped closer. "It's like _glue_."

"Sewer sludge, mud, Clayface, and brick dust." She listed off in monotone.

"… I do not envy you."

She twisted her head to snap at him, only to earn a blast of water straight in the face.

"I missed." Her father smirked, looking _far_ too pleased with himself.

Exhaling sharply through her nose, she faced back forward.

By the time the last particle of dust and the final smudges of goo had finally been removed from her feathers, Ski'Lira was a sopping wet mess.

"Go dry off and change," Katar told her. "And then we're heading out."

Ski'Lira's brows furrowed and she momentarily ceased squeezing water out of her hair. "Where are we going?"

"I need to get back to the museum. I still have some work I need to get done."

That just confused her further. "Then why did you come home?"

"Because a certain bat told me I might need to have a talk with my daughter."

H

Casting a last look around to make absolutely sure that no one had somehow managed to sneak into the room without her realizing, Ski'Lira plucked the aviators off of her face and stuffed them into the front pocket of her baggy green khaki jacket. After rolling up the sleeves of said jacket (and the black shirt she wore underneath) and snapping on a pair of disposable latex gloves, she snagged a pair of long tweezers and a bottle of specially made adhesive from a nearby drawer.

Laid out on the metal tabletop before her was a section of mosaic art, torn straight from a wall in Venice. The piece had very recently been recovered from an art smuggling ring, thanks to the efforts of a certain pair of winged vigilantes. Thus, the piece had been snapped up by the completely civilian (and definitely not alien vigilantes) curators of the Stonechat Museum of Art and History.

However, during transit the mosaic had suffered some damage, with a good chunk of the tesserae falling off. Most of them were still intact, but a few had broken or cracked. Work had already been done to both clean the mosaic and its pieces as well as remove the rest of the loose tiles. Replacements had been provided for the tesserae that were lost completely or too damaged to reapply.

With a reference image tacked onto the desk's lamp and containers bearing the necessary tesserae, it was Ski'Lira's job to reassemble the mosaic so it was ready for display. Checking the reference image, she started from the upper left hand corner and set to work.

She remained undisturbed in her work, music filling the silence via the radio in the corner, which was set to the classical music station. After the day she had, a menial task and soothing music was exactly what she needed to reign in her explosive temper.

The telltale sound of the door opening roused her from the nearly meditative state she had slipped into while working.

"It's just me." Carter announced his presence immediately. "How's it looking, Skylar?"

Despite the fact that they were the only two people in the restoration section of the museum, all of the Halls still enforced a strict 'No Thanagarian names outside the home or pre-approved settings' rule. It was better to be safe than sorry, hence why both were wearing baggy jackets that completely obscured their wings.

"It's coming along." She scooted her chair over slightly so he could see for himself. In the process, he sat down a Styrofoam cup of tea and a blueberry muffin on a cleared part of her workstation. As he inspected her project, she pulled off her gloves, throwing them away before snagging the tea and sipping at it.

"Excellent work" Carter stepped back and headed to his own table (which was right next to hers). Instead of a mosaic, his bore several different pieces of Viking jewelry that needed to be thoroughly inspected before they could be put on display.

"How's upstairs?" She asked, mouth full of muffin and words coming out barely legible.

Carter was nonplussed, sitting down, putting on gloves, and starting on his own work. "We finally got in the replacement cases installed for the gem collection and the security system reconnected. That took up most of today, really."

Despite what one may believe, the replacement wasn't due to a break-in. A new hire on the janitorial staff had accidentally tripped the alarm and panicked, shattering the glass with a broom handle. Needless to say, the man had been given a stern warning from _both_ of the curators.

And no one _ever_ wanted to be on the wrong side of a lecture from Carter and Shayera Hall.

"All in all, not nearly as interesting as what you did today."

There it was. She had been waiting for her father to finally bring up the disastrous Clayface mission. She'd been suspicious of his near silence the entire car ride over to the museum and how he'd merely left her to her own devices in the restoration room.

Choking down the last of her muffin, she pulled on a new pair of gloves and returned to replacing tesserae. "I suppose."

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

"I don't see why, considering…" She trailed off, checking the corner security camera.

"Security feed's off, the doors are locked and alarmed, and the only other person in this building is the night guard who is well out of earshot." Carter explained succinctly. "I thought you would appreciate some privacy."

Ski'Lira just continued her prior thought. "Considering Batman probably already told you what happened."

"I won't deny that, but I'd like to hear _your_ perspective."

Clenching her jaw, she ordered her thoughts, and did as he asked. In as professional a manner as she could manage, she recounted the events of the mission, starting from their debriefing with Batman to the moment he dismissed them from Mount Justice. All the while, she kept steadily replacing tesserae, the task grounding her.

Katar remained silent for a seemingly endless minute before he ripped off his gloves with a heavy sigh, tossing them idly into a nearby trashcan. "You know, your mother and I figured something like this would happen sooner or later."

"Something like what?" The young Thanagarian looked up from her work, setting the pliers back down on the tabletop, abandoning them for the moment.

"To put it crudely, butting heads with your superior." He answered, running a hand through his brunette hair, making it stick up in odd angles. "Though we thought it would be a little bloodier."

That earned him a burning glare as a silent response.

"The fact of the matter is that the mission was technically a success, despite the fact that you deviated from your objective. And what's rule five?"

"Always expect a plan to go wrong and adapt accordingly." She recited, but she narrowed her eyes a little. "But that wasn't the problem. The _problem_ was that our appointed leader approved a terrible plan and didn't _listen_ to my superior advice."

"Fair, but this isn't unexpected." At her confused look, he continued. "Your team is new. Very new. You've been together for barely two months. If you were already a well-oiled machine, I and the other members of the League would be _very_ concerned. Not to mention, your different backgrounds probably aren't helping. Robin, Kid Flash, and Artemis are all street-trained, Miss Martian has trained extensively in power use with little to no actual combat education, Superboy is effectively starting from scratch, Aqualad has formal Atlantean military service under his belt, while you have standard Thanagarian combat _and_ military training. You can see where problems might arise."

"I knew that from the moment we agreed to stick together." Ski'Lira pointed out, nose wrinkling a little. "But that doesn't change the fact that Aqualad made a mistake that nearly got us all _killed_."

Katar was silenced by that frank statement for a good few minutes, mouth set in a grim line and eyes glazing over slightly, clearly debating his next course of action. His daughter merely remained silent and waited for whatever justification he would offer for Aqualad's decision or reprimand for her behavior.

What she hadn't expected him to do was start telling a story.

"Back in my days as one of the Wingmen, one of my fellow officers, someone who I had gone through the academy with, was promoted as our commanding officer after the former leader died in a raid gone wrong. We all agreed he was best suited to the position, as he had proven himself highly competent with a knack for coming up with improvised plans in the field. Of course, there came a day when things just didn't go his way. Our squad was sent to investigate a series of seemingly random murders, but we ended up finding an entire faction of organized mercenaries. Their base was well defended and our escape route had already been blocked off, which meant that it was either fight or die. Our leader came up with a plan to take our chances and move the entire squad forward to engage the main body of mercenaries. None of us agreed with him. I suggested splitting the squad in half, one group to distract and the other to sabotage the building itself to bring it down right on top of the mercs. He refused and we went with his plan instead." Katar paused, gaze dropping a little. "We lost two good officers that day… The rest of us ended up in the hospital. While we were there, my comrade apologized for not listening, admitting that he had grown overconfident with his planning and should have listened. He learned from his mistakes and was eventually promoted to captain… I believe he still runs his own precinct now."

Tilting her head back, Ski'Lira stared up at the ceiling. "So… Aqualad was wrong. And I should forgive him for it because it's unlikely he'll make the same mistake again."

"That was the gist of it, yes."

Ski'Lira sighed and cracked her neck from side to side, picking up her pliers and glue once more. "I understand, _ta'me_. And… thank you."

H

MOUNT JUSTICE  
SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2010  
18:05 EDT

"I like you guys, but I have to admit, it was _very nice_ having some time off." Wally announced from where he was gracelessly sprawled on the couch in the common room.

"You know I _hate_ to agree with Baywatch, but he has a point." Artemis chimed in, folding her arms. She was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen counter, bow lying across her lap.

Batman had called them all in for a new mission and told them to wait in the kitchen until he was ready to fully inform them of the situation.

"Time off?" Robin cackled a little. "There's no such thing in Gotham. Unlike you guys, _I_ was still out every night."

"Oh yes, please do tell us in detail how you are the superior vigilante." Wally said dramatically.

Leaving the two to their good-natured bickering, Hawkgirl nudged Superboy's shoulder with her own to garner his attention. "Did you enjoy your break?"

Superboy's eyes flickered over to Miss Martian, who briefly met his gaze before looking away, blushing a little. Hawkgirl cocked a brow as she noticed the small smiles appearing on both teen's faces. "I'm going to take that as a yes."

Before she could interrogate him about this new development, Robin received a virtual summons from the Bat, ordering them into the main hub. Artemis hopped off the counter, slinging her bow back over her shoulder as Kid Flash zipped up to his feet.

Just before they stepped fully inside the main room, Hawkgirl heard the Zeta Tube power up as the computer announced a new arrival. _"Recognized: Aqualad, B02."_

Batman continued staring at a holographic screen and tapping away at the accompanying keyboard. "Made your decision?"

Aqualad gave a terse nod. "The decision is made. I am here. One hundred percent."

Hawkgirl had no idea what _that_ was about, but she was pretty sure that Kaldur would probably tell them himself later.

"Just in time for your next mission." The Dark Knight announced as the Team all regrouped in front of him. "The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan Desert…"

* * *

The 'Wingmen' are basically the Thanagarian equivalent of police officers (hence the original name 'Hawk-Police'), of which Katar Hol is canonically a member in multiple incarnations and occasionally Shayera is too. For this fic, I've opted to mix different timelines, so Katar was one of the Wingmen while Shayera remained with the Thanagarian military, a fact that will be expanded upon later on in the story.

So, originally the next chapter was _supposed_ to be an original chapter akin to 'The Direct Approach' (chapter 9 of this story, in case you've forgotten like I did), but in writing _this_ one I realized Bereft picks up _right_ _after_ Downtime. Thus, instead you'll be getting Bereft next time!

As always, comments, questions, and concerns are always welcome and I hope you all have a lovely day!

Final note before I let you go, last time I published a chapter at one o'clock in the morning in an attempt to publish it on Halloween. As I am writing this, it is currently 2:30 in the morning _and I still regret nothing_.


	13. A Dangerous Desert Debacle

BEFORE WE GET TO THE STORY, SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcement 1: Shortly before posting this chapter, I published 'Fight or Flight: Side Stories', which will be a wonderful compilation of all the oneshots and extras that have no place in the main story. Chapter One has been posted, Hal Jordan's fabled 'How to Deal with Thanagarians' cheat sheet.

Announcement 2: OVER A HUNDRED FOLLOWERS?! YOU _GUYS!_ When I first posted this story, I had no idea it would gain this kind of traction. A huge thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, reviewed, and PM'd. Every little bit has made this story better!

Announcement 3: And now I address the elephant in the room that is romantic pairings. When I first started outlining this story, I had no specific pairing in mind. I thought to myself 'I'll just see where the story takes me.' And this story has taken me to a wonderful world of powerfully platonic relationships. In short, there will be NO romantic pairing in this story. I'm sorry to everyone who was expecting something, but the story I'm trying to tell doesn't require romance to work. If I've just shattered your dreams and you decide to stop reading, that's perfectly A-Okay with me. HOWEVER! One of the reasons I decided to create 'Fight or Flight: Side Stories' was to explore 'What If's' and 'AU's'. And a major 'What-If' is definitely 'What if our lovely protagonist _did_ find herself falling in love?' I've already got plans for a good dozen or so oneshots, and I'll be cranking those out in tandem with our regularly scheduled installations of Fight or Flight.

Well, that's enough from me for now. See you at the ending author's note!

* * *

BIALYA  
SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2010  
12:02 EEST

Gasping for breath, Hawkgirl pushed herself up onto her hands and knees from under a pile of sand, panting as she desperately tried to fill her lungs with air. Shaking her wings and giving a couple of cursory flaps, torrents of small granules dislodged from her feathers. Now that she was no longer suffocating, she shakily rose to a kneeling position.

A vast desert stretched as far as her eyes could see (which was pretty damn far), with only a smattering of rocky outcroppings to her right and a set of tire tracks leading off into the distance marring the seemingly endless dunes. The sun was shining directly overhead, but the heat didn't bother her. Judging from the dryness of her mouth, she had presumably been out in the desert for an extended period… or she had gotten sand into her mouth as some point while she was buried.

Either way, it did not bode well.

Casting a look around and expanding out her senses, she confirmed that she was alone for the moment (though she did sense a faint heartbeat near the rock formation she would definitely be checking out). Curling her wings around her torso, she effectively created a feathery shield around herself as she tore her helmet off of her head.

Her brunette hair was a sweaty and tangled mess. Pulling off the hair tie keeping her braided hair in a bun, she quickly unbound and finger combed it. Braiding it again as tightly as she could, she made sure her bun was pressed as tightly to her skull as she could manage before putting her helmet back on.

Feeling a little more put together and reoriented, she stood up and started to make her way towards the nearby rocks. It wasn't long before she could hear someone speaking aloud to themselves, male from the sound of it, and familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

Keeping low to the ground with her wings flattened against her back, she crept around the edge of the small canyon-like structure to locate the source of the voice.

When she saw who it was, she nearly stumbled from shock. Robin was standing by himself, examining a black swatch of torn fabric in his hands. Despite the fact that she knew Robin, she was still incredibly cautious. Thus, she crept up behind him as silently as she could, before suddenly lashing out and slapping a hand over his mouth and hooking her arm around his waist.

Really, she should have seen the resulting stomach jab and strike to the jaw coming.

Staggering backwards as she released him, she rubbed at the right side of her face as Robin whirled around.

That was Robin, alright.

" _Hawkgirl_?!" He said incredulously, tucking away the piece of fabric into his belt. "What the heck are _you_ doing here?"

She scowled at him. "I think I should be asking _you_ the same question."

"… Fair enough." He deflated a little. "Just so we're on the same page, you have no idea why you're here either, right?"

Hawkgirl opened her mouth to reply that _of course she knew_ … before she realized that wasn't right. She _didn't_ know. Blinking rapidly, she tried to recollect her thoughts. The last thing she remembered was… eating breakfast with her parents and mentally prepping herself for what was sure to be a long day of combat training.

Maybe that's what this was?

She decided it was better to share this potential revelation instead of keeping it to herself. "I remember preparing for training. Perhaps this is part of that?"

"I know you're parents are intense, but even they wouldn't dare to drop you in the middle of _Bialya._ "

Hawkgirl's wings flared briefly from surprise. " _Bialya_? Are you absolutely certain?"

He merely activated the holographic screen attached to his glove, showing their current location, smack dab in the middle of the Bialyan Desert.

This definitely wasn't good.

H

When night fell, it was a relief to the both of them. Or at least mostly to Robin, seeing as he was far more susceptible to extreme temperatures than she was. In addition, the Boy Wonder had provided a small amount of water for the both of them, courtesy of an emergency stash in his utility belt. It wasn't much and they had to ration it very carefully, but it was at least something.

Hawkgirl was more than a little worried for her human companion, but he had waved off her concerns with a joke and a smile.

It did little to reassure her.

They had both agreed early on that having her fly them anywhere was a bad idea. With zero cloud cover and empty desert for miles, they would be far less conspicuous on foot than in the air. Even then, Hawkgirl had offered to carry him, but he insisted that she try to preserve any strength she had just in case of a skirmish.

Robin led the way as they ran across the desert, using his hologlove to track a signal that had caught his attention on his map. "Wish I could remember why I put a GPS marker here." He pondered aloud.

As they rose over the crest of a dune, Ski'Lira was the first to spot the strangle metal box sitting at the bottom of a shallow bowl, snagging Robin's shoulder and yanking him down into cover.

"Huh!" Robin said as he took a look for himself. "Guessing that's why."

He leapt down to inspect the device just as Hawkgirl registered multiple heartbeats just up ahead. The moment Robin came within spitting distance of the box, a small platoon of masked, armored, and armed goons emerged from where they had been lying in wait behind the sand.

Unhooking her mace from her belt, she took to the air just enough to swoop down off the top of the dune, putting herself in the middle of the fray. Now that she was at a different angle, she could see distinct yellow emblems emblazoned on the front of every soldiers' helmet.

" _Her Majesty wants them alive!"_ One of the soldiers commanded in Arabic.

She was _very_ glad that it just so happened to be one of three Terran languages she was fluent in.

Robin locked eyes with her, which was the only warning she received before he calmly dropped a smoke pellet, obscuring the immediate area with smoke and giving them both free reign to attack.

Trusting Robin to handle the ones closest to him, she sought out the source of the nearest heartbeat and cracked her mace over his head before he could notice her, although his weapon did discharge as he fell, alerting two nearby soldiers to her presence. They ran forwards to try to get a visual on her, but that just brought them into combat range.

Whirling, she smacked one man with a wing, knocking him off balance as she drove her fist into the other one's stomach. As they both lay on the ground, she dealt harsh kicks with her booted feet, knocking them unconscious.

By that time, the smoke had dissipated and the soldiers started to regroup, aiming their weapons straight at Robin.

Ski'Lira moved without a single thought.

With a powerful flap of her wings, she put herself between the younger boy and the line of soldiers just as they started to fire. Putting her gauntleted hands up in front of her chest and ducking her head, she did her best to cover her more vulnerable areas, guaranteeing Robin's safe escape.

She winced as she felt a stinging pinch in her left bicep that grew into a radiating pain. Gritting her teeth, she stood her ground.

The barrage of gunfire came to an abrupt halt as a blur sped through the ranks, removing their armaments from their hands. Who could only be Kid Flash skidded to a halt, depositing his stolen armful of guns onto the sand.

Kid Flash took out the two guys nearest to him in quick succession as Robin kicked another in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. Uncurling herself from her defensive stance, Hawkgirl launched herself at the nearest goon, slamming the butt of her mace into his face and instantly knocking him unconscious. Two more thugs made a good attempt at sneaking up on the teen heroes, only to be flung backwards by some unseen force.

Said unseen force revealed themselves a moment later, a floating female with distinct green skin and red hair. Judging by the appearance and the power set, it was a safe bet to say that she was Martian in origin.

Meanwhile, Kid Flash grabbed one guy by the leg, spinning him around to build up momentum before throwing him into two of his comrades, taking out three of them in one fell swoop.

The final soldier, who was making a valiant effort in trying to flee, was targeted by an arrow that changed mid-air into a bola, wrapping around his legs and sending him crashing to the ground. The origin of the arrow was another teen standing atop a nearby dune, a long-haired blonde wearing an arrow that was highly reminiscent of Green Arrow's.

Even though the battle was done, Hawkgirl was far from relaxed, as she had zero reason to trust these two strangers, even though they _had_ arrived with Kid Flash.

As they regrouped, Hawkgirl took a moment to glance at her arm, satisfied that the bullet wound wasn't obvious, despite the fact that she was still bleeding pretty steadily. Ah, one of the wonders of wearing dark red. Your enemies didn't get to see you bleed.

Robin made his way towards Kid Flash, and the two locked hands in greeting. "KF! Man, it's good to see another familiar face. And this one's much friendlier!"

Ski'Lira shot a glare at him, to which he responded with a cheeky smirk.

"Hey, Rob" The speedster replied. "Memory loss?"

"Six months. Let's hogtie these creeps and compare notes."

H

They'd ended up using rope from the own soldiers' supply to immobilize them. Judging by their insistence on capturing both Robin and herself, Hawkgirl assumed that the rope had initially been meant for _them_. Honestly, it would have been hilarious if they had tried such an attempt. The looks on their faces as they easily broke out from their bonds would have been worth it.

Once they were safely bound (and knocked unconscious), they all gathered around the Martian girl, who promised to explain.

"So… We're a _team_?" Robin asked for clarity, sounding skeptical.

"The four of us and Superboy." She confirmed, hands clasped together as if begging for them to remember. And if they really were as close as she claimed, she probably was.

"Then this must be his." From his utility belt, Robin grabbed the chunk of cloth that Hawkgirl had seen him with earlier. Now that she could see it clearly, the red 'S' emblazoned on the fabric was clear.

The Martian's face lit up with joy, taking the cloth and practically cuddling it to her chest. "Yes! Did you see him?"

"I think we did." The blonde archer offered.

"Feral boy?" Kid Flash rubbed at his chin before perching his hands back on his hips. "Some teammate. He attacked us."

"He didn't know who we are." Jerking her thumb at her own chest, the blonde frowned. " _I_ don't know who we are."

Brow wrinkling a little, Robin spoke up. "I remember Batman ordering radio silence. Our team must work for him."

A team of young heroes being led by Batman made… marginally more sense, Ski'Lira supposed. Honestly, the Dark Knight was the only Leaguer she could see successfully wrangling such an eclectic group of teenagers together.

She still didn't believe that the Martian was telling the truth, but the lie was becoming more believable.

"How do you know we don't work for my mentor?" Pointing to himself, Kid Flash jumped as his suit reverted to its usual, brilliant yellow. "Whoa! This is so cool."

Both Robin and the archer subtly pressed their own emblems, only for nothing to happen.

"We look ridiculous!" The blonde snapped before whirling on the speedster, who hadn't yet ceased changing his outfit back and forth between black and yellow. "Quit touching yourself!"

Hawkgirl let out the quietest huff of amusement, before everything went _white_.

She regained a sense of self in a strange, fractured room, images of herself and the other teenagers with her plastered all over the glowing walls. Experimentally flexing a fist, she was a little unnerved as she realized that she wasn't breathing, feeling, nor did her heart beat. It was more than a little disconcerting. The eerie effervescent glow that surrounded herself and the others certainly didn't help matters.

A shimmering, solid white silhouette appeared before them, which then started to speak with the Martian's voice. "I brought you into my mind to share what I've remembered so far. But I need your help." The girl herself fully materialized, her eyes glowing pink. "Together, our broken memories can form a hole. If you open your minds to mine."

The other girl stepped back and crossed her arms, immediately going on the defensive. "You want to paw through our private thoughts?!"

"I have no wish to intrude, but-"

Robin swiftly interrupted. "We need to hack our minds to grok what happened to us. Got it. Go."

Judging by the blank expressions around her, Ski'Lira assumed she was the only one that caught the reference. Or they were just too engrossed in the matter at hand to take note of it.

"My brain's all yours." Kid Flash offered, trying to sound as smooth as he could manage. It didn't work for him at all. "Try not to let its brilliance overwhelm you."

"Or underwhelm you." Robin pointed out with a snicker. "Hey, why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?"

Hawkgirl couldn't help her frustrated growl and shot him a _look_. "The English language is _hard enough_. You're trying to make it _worse_." Turning to the Martian, she offered a slight nod of acceptance, giving her free reign to poke around in her brain.

That just left one reluctant member of the party. She didn't relax until Kid Flash wrapped a hand around hers. "Last six months only and only what you need." She requested.

Nodding, the telepath closed her eyes. A moment later, glowing blue constructs vaguely shaped like ends emerged from her body, enveloping the top of their heads.

Ski'Lira had never once consumed narcotics of any kind (not that it would affect her superior physiology anyway), but she imagined that's what this felt like. She was bombarded with foreign visuals and sounds, impressions of emotions and physical sensation. And then things suddenly _clicked_.

H

Standing in the Hub of Mount Justice, the Team was gathered in front of Batman, a holographic map beside him showing a display nearly identical to the one Robin had on his hologlove earlier.

"The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan Desert. Spectral analysis revealed element non-terrestrial in origin. Find out what happened at that site, what landed there. Bialya is a rogue state ruled by Queen Bee, and _not_ a member of the League's U.N. Charter. All communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence _at all times_. You'll land in Qurac on Bialya's border, two clicks from the hot zone."

H

Binoculars firmly situated in front of his eyes, Robin scanned the desert, but saw nothing. He knew that Hawkgirl was doing the same in the opposite direction, though she was just using the power of her own, admittedly impressive, eyesight. Everyone else was departing from the bio-ship, with Superboy carrying a massive crate on his back that sufficiently dwarfed him.

"All clear." He reported, moving to rejoin the others.

H

Overlooking a makeshift camp from a rocky outcropping, Artemis and Robin watched the movements of the soldiers moving in and out. "The Bialyans control the site." Artemis reported.

H

"Set up here." Their team leader ordered, allowing Superboy to drop his burden and activate it, the box expanding so it could be used to scan the surrounding area for anomalous readings.

Robin used the in-built computer on the device with singular focus. "We'll be up and running in no time."

H

"Jackpot!" Kid Flash exclaimed, looking over his friend's shoulder at the display. "The site's lousy with zeta beam radiation."

"Detecting non-terrestrial trace elements from the tent." Robin added.

"I'll check it out in camouflage mode." M'Gann volunteered, already launching herself into the air.

Their leader immediately agreed. "Good idea. Go."

"And retreat at the first sign of danger. Isolating yourself from the rest of us will just lead to more trouble." Hawkgirl said, her tone leaving zero room for argument.

Superboy stopped her before she could leave. "Careful."

"I will." M'Gann answered.

"And maintain telepathic contact."

"I will, Aqualad."

They all snapped out of the mindscape, still feeling slightly disconnected, before shouting in unison. "Aqualad!"

"Where is he?" Robin demanded, sounding about as frantic as Hawkgirl felt. "What happened next?"

"I don't know!" M'Gann cried. "That's the last thing I- _we_ remember!"

It was at that moment that Wally realized that he and Artemis were holding hands, jerking his own out of her grasp and face screwing up in slight displeasure. "Ehh. We landed twenty four hours ago. If Kaldur's been wandering the desert that long, well, that's not good for a guy with gills."

"Now that I know to look for him…" Without wasting any more time, the youngest member of their group activated his hologlove. "He's close! But he's not moving."

H

Regaining six months' worth of missing memories was downright _disorienting_. Ski'Lira had spent the duration of their race to find Aqualad taking mental stock, as it were. She couldn't tell whether or not she had pieces missing, but she had no doubt that after they reported back to the League, Batman would probably have Martian Manhunter do a thorough check on all of them.

They had managed to find Kaldur fairly quickly after Robin picked up his signal, but he was already unresponsive, muttering to himself in Atlantean in his unconscious state. M'Gann had propped his head up in her lap, biting her lip in worry. "I can't restore his memories in this condition."

"He needs immediate rehydration." Robin said. "Call the bio-ship."

"It's out of range…" She turned to face Wally. "But you can get him there fast."

The speedster shook his head in the negative. "He's too heavy and I'm too low on fuel. Right now, I couldn't even carry her." He made a vague gesture towards Artemis. "What about you, Hawkgirl?"

Hawkgirl rose an unseen brow. She was more than capable of carrying Aqualad herself, but there was one glaring problem. It was still far too dangerous to fly. "They have tanks. I would prefer not to be blasted out of the sky by a _tank_." If only she could camouflage herself like M'Gann, then this wouldn't be a problem.

"Why not just levitate him back?" Artemis offered.

"I can't." M'Gann answered, sounding apologetic. "I have to find Superboy. Six months ago, he didn't exist. He has no memories, just animal impulse. I'm the only one who can help him."

"Superboy's indestructible." Kid Flash pointed out. "Just ask those tanks that Hawkgirl's so afraid of. It's Aqualad who needs your help. Like, now."

Just as Hawkgirl was about to reprimand Wally for insinuating she was _afraid_ of something, M'Gann let out a short cry, squeezing her eyes shut tight and slamming her hands against her temples. "No! Superboy's in pain!" The telepath immediately took to the air, flying away from them as fast as she could. "We can't wait!"

Cupping his hands around his mouth, Robin yelled after her. "We still don't know what erased our memories! It could happen again!"

But she didn't stop.

H

With a slight shift, Ski'Lira readjusted her burden, namely the unconscious and delirious Atlantean she had slung over her shoulder in a Fireman's carry. She and the remaining members of the Team were trudging single file through the desert, with Robin leading them via his handy holomap. An approaching noise caught their attention immediately.

"Quick, over there!" Robin ushered them all into a crouch, leading them behind a massive rock. They all ducked out of sight just in time to avoid being spotted as a caravan of jeeps stopped right where they had been.

Ski'Lira laid Aqualad down onto the ground as gently as she could manage, wincing a little as he started to mutter incoherently again.

"Shh, Kaldur" Artemis whispered, kneeling down next to his head. "Quiet now."

"We can't risk a firefight with Aqualad KO'd like this." Letting out a sigh, Robin scrubbed a hand through his unruly black hair. Hawkgirl watched silently as he crept back over the other side of the dune, disappearing from sight.

"It's not just him." Kid Flash admitted reluctantly. "I'm way out of juice."

"And I'm almost out of arrows." Artemis offered.

It was at that point that the speedster finally realized the person he had been talking to was missing. "Ugh, I forgot how much I hate it when he does the ninja thing." Kid Flash then suddenly changed the topic, addressing the archer of the group directly. "Hey, you never said why your dad would want you to kttk!" He drew his finger across his throat, signifying death. "Me!"

Ski'Lira decided it was in her best interest to take their moment of distraction to check on her bullet wound. Shuffling herself sideways, she pulled off her gauntlet and rolled up the sleeve, grimacing as she felt a fresh rivulet of blood leak down her arm. The good news was that the bullet hadn't hit anything important. The bad news was that the bullet was still in her arm.

It definitely wasn't the worst gunshot wound she'd ever had, nor the most minor, but it was still troublesome. For the moment, she rolled her sleeve down and then back up to the wound act as a makeshift bandage, wiping as much blood as she could off onto the sand before replacing her gauntlet. Unless someone was looking very closely, they wouldn't notice.

All the while, she vaguely registered Artemis recounting the plot of some movie she'd seen recently before Kid Flash pulled her into another bout of bickering.

Thankfully, Robin returned as silently as he had left, sitting near them and startling them with his presence. "Yeesh, get a room."

"Dude, where were you?!" Wally hissed.

That earned him a signature Robin Smirk™ in response. "Breaking radio silence."

A short ways away, a repetitive cackling started echoing throughout the desert, pulling the platoon of soldiers milling around away from their position, where they were promptly engulfed in smoke as the birdarangs detonated.

"That's our cue, move!"

At Robin's direction, Hawkgirl picked Aqualad up again, slinging him back over her shoulder as they all sprinted away.

H

QURAC  
SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2010  
02:25 EEST

Returning to the bio-ship was a relief for all of them. Ski'Lira set Aqualad down on a biobed, rearranging his limbs so he was laid out more comfortable. Stepping back, Hawkgirl leaned against the nearby wall as Artemis took over from there, a massive first aid kit at her feet that she was already rifling through for the necessary materials. As Artemis began the process of hooking him up to an IV, Kid Flash and Robin started going through their crates of supplies for the mission, primarily searching for food and water.

"Hey, HG" Robin called out to her. "Can you come help open this crate? I think it got a little crushed in transit."

Pushing herself off the wall, she joined him, taking a moment to inspect the industrial plastic crate. The latching mechanism was almost completely crushed. Most likely, it had rammed into another crate during their flight here. Opening it would be simple.

Wedging her gauntleted fingers underneath the crack, she yanked the lid off of the crate, the hinged lid hitting the bioship floor with a sharp bang. Just as she was about to start sorting through it, Robin snatched her forearm.

"Your wrist is bleeding!"

Hawkgirl rolled her eyes. "No, it's not. The bullet wound on my bicep is bleeding."

Artemis whipped around so fast the end of her hair nearly whapped her in the face. "Did you just say _bullet wound?!"_

"When did you get shot?!" Kid Flash asked, semi-hysterical.

"Just before you, Artemis, and M'Gann showed up." Hawkgirl explained.

"Wait…" Robin released her wrist, staring at her. "When you jumped between me and the…? You were _shot_?!"

"I'm more concerned with the fact that she was shot and _didn't tell us!_ " Artemis' voice raised, towards the end, but she quickly quieted herself as she remembered their unconscious teammate's presence.

Ski'Lira honestly had no idea why they were so upset. "It didn't hit an artery."

" _Not the point_." Artemis growled, setting back to work on Aqualad. "Someone please patch her up before _I shoot her myself_."

Robin immediately volunteered, despite Hawkgirl's repeated protests that she could wait until they returned to Mount Justice. She was forced to lay down on the second biobed, with Robin having switched out his standard gloves for surgical ones. When he'd asked if she'd like some kind of anesthetic, she'd laughed at him.

As he set to work, pliers in hand as he searched for the bullet, he cleared his throat. "Hey, uh, thanks."

"For what?" She asked, making sure to keep her body completely still as she did so.

"Taking a bullet for me."

Hawkgirl scoffed. "Please, you all know I would take a bullet for you anytime."

Robin stopped in his work as Kid Flash spoke up from the other side of the ship. "Um… _no…?!_ _We didn't?!"_

"Oh. Hm. Well, now you do."

" **Hey, everybody!"**

M'Gann's mental interruption caused Robin to jerk just enough to drive the pliers a little deeper into the muscle of Ski'Lira's arm than he planned, but he still managed to get a careful hold of the bullet.

" **I've got Superboy. He's back to normal and we're on our way."**

Ski'Lira blew out a relieved breath, only for it to turn into a pained hiss.

Aqualad had snapped upright, gasping loudly and startling Robin _again_ , forcing him to rip the bullet out a little less than _gently_. Muttering apologies, he set the bullet onto a nearby tray and started cleaning and stitching up the wound.

"Who are you?!" Kaldur sounded downright frantic, barely calming as Artemis pushed him back down onto the bed. "And how did you get inside my head?"

They could practically hear the forehead slap over the mental link. **"Hello, Megan. Aqualad's memories! I knew I forgot something."**

" **Aw man, me too."** Kid Flash bemoaned. **"I didn't get a souvenir from the mission."**

" **Don't worry. Got the souvenir thing covered."**

" **What about the bullet Robin just pulled from Hawkgirl's arm?"** Artemis grumbled. **"Great souvenir right there."**

" **Hawkgirl was** _ **shot**_ **?!"** Superboy shouted across the link.

Groaning, Hawkgirl closed her eyes. Her teammates were _ridiculous_.

* * *

This is a friendly PSA. Don't be like Ski'Lira and hide gunshot wounds from your friends who are highly trained in first aid. It's a bad idea. Don't do it. You know what? Just don't get shot. Period. Also vigilantism is illegal. Retcon. This is a friendly PSA. Don't be like Ski'Lira. As cool as she is, she's allowed to be stupid and reckless with her physical health because she has alien healing powers.

Well, that's all from me for now. Next time, a nice original tale starring Robin and Hawkgirl. Fun times will be had.

Have a lovely day, all!


	14. Birds of Different Feathers

Happy 2019 everyone!

I'd like to thank you all for your support in my 'no romance' decision, at least for the main story. At this point I have… three? Yeah, three, actual 'romance-y' oneshots planned, so those will happen eventually. I've been working on a few different oneshots (whether they be crossovers, glimpses into the past I couldn't put in a chapter, or the aforementioned romance) intermittently since around the fifth chapter of Fight or Flight was posted, so there's those to look forward to I guess?

 _Anyway_ , on the chapter, wherein our littlest hawk learns the importance of pinkie swears and a present day Skylar Hall makes a new/old friend.

* * *

GOTHAM CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT  
2008  
MIDNIGHT

"You're late."

There were few people who could meet the full force of The Dark Knight's glare without so much as flinching, and Hawkwoman was _definitely_ one of them. "We were waylaid stopping an arsonist from torching a national park."

Batman met her gaze evenly for a moment before dropping the subject, turning to address the man standing next to him. "You've met Commissioner Gordon before."

The older man stuck out a hand in greeting which she immediately took. There was no doubt that the commissioner was more than a little amused by the antics of the two vigilantes. "Hawkwoman, it's nice to see you again."

"Same to you, Gordon" The Thanagarian woman answered sincerely. "And this is Hawkgirl." She inclined her head, wordlessly urging her daughter to stand forward.

Up until this point, Hawkgirl had been loitering awkwardly in the doorway of the office, a pronounced smudge of soot marring one of her cheeks and her face just as expressionless as her mother's.

"It seems like every time I blink, one of you heroes gets a sidekick." Gordon quipped lightly, smiling at her. "Personally, I blame Batman for starting the trend, eh Robin?"

The Boy Wonder in question snorted a little from where he was sitting on top of a chair. Not _in_ the chair, _on top_ of the chair, carefully perched on the back like the little bird he was.

"Anyway, thanks for coming in even though I know you've got your hands full with your own city." The only non-hero in the room continued. "Batman said you were the best shot at identifying the dagger our culprit's been using."

"It's no trouble." Hawkwoman insisted as he handed over a manila folder, immediately opening it and began the task of reading it in depth and in its entirety.

Gordon's attention was drawn back to Hawkgirl as he saw her shift a little, looking very out of place. Clearing his throat, he spoke up. "Why don't you kids hang out in Peterson's office while we handle the boring adult stuff?"

Robin opened his mouth to argue (no doubt protesting the 'adult stuff' comment), but was silenced by a subtle shake of his mentor's head. Huffing out a breath, he back flipped off his perch and shot a wide grin Hawkgirl's way before ducking out of the room.

Ski'Lira froze for a moment, unsure what to do, but her mother reached over and shoved her half out the door without even looking up from her reading. Scowling, Ski'Lira had no choice but to follow as Robin slipped past her and led her away from her mother.

The empty office in question was only a few doors down, and had been clearly abandoned for two, three days at the most judging by the stale air quality. After a cursory examination, Ski'Lira carefully sat on the edge of the wooden desk, angling herself so that she didn't have to pull in her wings.

Robin had instead opted to keep poking around the office, opening drawers and examining framed photos knickknacks.

"So, arson, huh? How'd that go?" Robin asked out of the blue. "You've got a mark right here, by the way." He tapped his cheek.

She made no move to remove said mark, mostly because she didn't really care. For a moment, she considered just remaining dead silent just to see how he'd react, but then she remembered how Roy told her Robin was a bit of a chatterbox.

"It was a successful operation." She began. "No casualties, minimal amounts of trees burned, two cases of minor smoke inhalation, and one hospitalization for a severely broken arm."

"What? How did that last one happen?"

"He was the arsonist."

Robin paused and let out a low whistle. "Wow, you Hawks don't mess around, huh?"

Her silence spoke volumes.

"… This is weird, right?" He asked, decisively closing a metal drawer with a muted clang. "Us meeting like this? And weirdly late? Like… why haven't we been introduced earlier? You've been on Earth for _years_ , right?"

Truthfully, there was an entire _list_ of reasons why she and Robin had been kept apart. No doubt this meeting was pure coincidence, and something her mother would gain flak for later.

Long story short… more than one member of the League was concerned about bringing the two birds together. It wasn't anything nefarious, more… they had reservations about allowing two mortal agents of chaos interact.

That, and she had only recently finished undergoing the process Hal Jordan had lovingly coined "Thanagarian Brand, Angry Puberty". Not even Roy was allowed around her at the time, as there was a very real possibility she could severely hurt him.

Instead of _telling_ Robin all of that, she just shrugged.

"Right…" He said slowly. "Should have expected that." Bending down, he opened up the last drawer in the filing cabinet. "Hey, you bored yet? Because I am."

"I have been trained to ignore such feelings."

"So have I." Robin pointed out.

"… Yes. I am bored."

Grinning triumphantly, he reached down and pulled out a stack of board games, setting them on the nearly empty desk with a hearty thump. "Pick one."

H

"Your aid has been invaluable, Hawkwoman. With any luck, we'll have Deforest in police custody and the sword on its way back to the Cairo Museum by tomorrow night." Shaking Shayera's hand, Gordon seemed visibly relieved at finally getting a solid lead on his case.

"He should be fairly easy to catch." Hawkwoman assured. "He certainly was the _last_ time my husband and I went after him. Though then he was just a petty thief, not a serial killer."

"Criminals are unpredictable." Batman reminded.

That earned him an acknowledging head tilt from the Thanagarian woman. "Just give me a call if you need any help. For now, I should be getting my daughter home."

"I hope they weren't too bored." Gordon said with a smile as he personally opened the door to the empty office, and promptly froze.

The side of Batman's mouth quirked up _ever_ so slightly. "Somehow I doubt that."

The office had practically become a _warzone_ of strategic combat. Plastic pieces and playing cards were scattered all over, both in use and not, the desk and the floor covered in multiple game boards haphazardly strung together with tape.

In a mere forty five minutes, the two sidekicks had created what appeared to be an intimidating amalgamation of a game.

Knights and pawns were positioned next to hotels on a Monopoly board, while the extra player pieces and some deeds from Monopoly were carefully positioned around Chutes and Ladders. Most of the words on the Scrabble board clearly weren't English, and more than one had been flipped over and drawn on with marker to serve as additional letters. Several different card games offered as a strange link between the games, including blackjack, solitaire, and go fish.

And carefully sitting in the middle of the mess were Hawkgirl and Robin, who were in the process of rolling handfuls of dice and placing Scrabble tiles on the chess board.

Commissioner Jim Gordon, hardened detective of the Gotham Police Department, promptly burst out laughing.

H

"So, I guess this is goodbye for now?" Robin asked. While they had cleaned up their mess, Batman and Hawkwoman had gone to wait on the roof. After they'd finished the daunting task (as they'd had to meticulously re-sort everything and make sure the office was spotless), they'd ascended to the top of the building.

Hawkgirl nodded. "It is. This meeting was long coming and… it did not disappoint. I had fun, thank you."

"Hey, no problem. You're pretty cool, Hawkgirl. Maybe next time we'll get to do a _real_ team-up instead of hanging out in an office."

A vicious smirk that only boded ill will for any potential criminals in the future appeared on her face. "That would be preferable, yes."

To her confusion, he held out a hand, his fingers curled back with only his pinky sticking out.

She just stared at it.

"You're supposed to take it." Robin prompted.

Confused, she reached out and grabbed his pinky with her thumb and index finger. Barking out a laugh at her expense, he twisted her hand himself until their pinkies were linked.

"It's called a pinky swear. It's a powerful binding promise." Robin explained. "I promise next time we meet up, we'll kick some _serious_ butt."

Ski'Lira's smile made a reappearance. "That sounds like an excellent promise."

H

ST. ROCH, LOUISIANA  
2010  
16:00, CST

In the depths of the Stonechat Museum of Art and History, Skylar Hall was hard at work doing inventory. It was a simple job, just a matter of checking labels and matching it against a master list. Monotonous work, sure, but she'd rather be down here than dealing with the people upstairs.

Namely, her parents were currently trying to iron out the details in a deal that would _hopefully_ end up with the museum permanently procuring a few new paintings and sculptures. Her father had told her the seller could be a bit of a hard ass and that he'd probably end up coercing a few personal favors instead of monetary compensation.

Ski'Lira didn't see how they could possibly lose the deal. There was nothing about Bruce Wayne that convinced her he wouldn't concede against her parents' aggressive approach to art dealing.

Checking the next label on a large bagged shard of pottery, Ski'Lira let out a grumble at the illegibility of the handwriting, no doubt one of the interns' work. Muttering slightly under her breath, she made a note about the appearance so she could track it down (and rewrite the label) later, continuing down the line.

A buzz from her pocket garnered her attention, and she stuck her pen into her bun in order to fish it out of her pocket with her newly freed hand. The short text, from her mother, read: _Come upstairs ASAP_.

Sighing, she placed her clipboard on a nearby shelf long enough to shrug her baggy green jacket back over her shoulders and slid her aviators off the top of her head and back down onto her nose. A slight wiggle of her wings later, and she was once more completely disguised as a human. Tucking the inventory clipboard under her arm, she trudged up the nearest set of stairs.

Five minutes later, she turned the corner to the main hall of the museum, where her parents were clearly already in the midst of their meeting. Her parents were clad in the standard work attire they favored, loose khaki shirts and jeans paired with leather jackets and sturdy boots. Creating a jarring contrast, who could only be Bruce Wayne had his hair slicked carefully back, pitch black suit immaculately tailored. She caught a glint of light from his wrist, confirming he was both wearing cufflinks _and_ a watch she had no doubt was probably more expensive than her parents' car.

Standing next to Wayne, a black haired boy wearing a school uniform had his gaze locked on his phone.

"There you are. Did you get lost?" Carter asked with a sharp smile.

Skylar rolled her eyes and pointedly held up her clipboard. "I was busy."

"And now you're not." His smile only grew as he turned to the client. "Mr. Wayne, this is my daughter Skylar."

Disinterested in being polite, but unwilling to potentially ruin a business deal, Skylar held out her hand. "My parents showed me the photos of your collection, Mr. Wayne. It's fairly impressive."

"Thank you, Miss Hall." He replied as he took her hand, an indecipherable look in his eyes. "And this is my ward, Dick."

Skylar had to physically stop herself from blurting out 'What an unfortunate name for a human', clenching her teeth and holding her hand out to the much shorter teen.

At the sound of his name, he finally turned off his phone and tucked it away, stuffing his hands in his pockets. The movement stirred the air around him, and she was hit with a strong cloud of what was presumably _very_ expensive cologne. Glad that her aviators obscured her slightly watering eyes, she gave him an acknowledging nod before addressing her parents.

"Was there something you needed?"

"I thought it would be considerate if you could show Dick around the museum, give him a personal tour." Shayera answered. Based on her tone, this was an order rather than a suggestion. Still, Ski'Lira felt the need to question the decision.

"But I haven't finished inventory." She pointed out.

"You can do it later."

Blowing out a long breath, she turned on her heel and started walking away. She made it about five feet before she angled her head back, scowling at the younger boy. "Are you coming or not?"

Mr. Wayne clapped his ward on the shoulder, nudging him onwards.

And just like that, Skylar found herself an acting tour guide for a rich brat.

 _Great._

H

"The museum's roughly divided in half, with art in the right wing and history based exhibits on the left. Do you have any preference?"

"Could I ask you to ask that again with more enthusiasm?"

Skylar narrowed her eyes and jerked her thumb towards a nearby replica of a fifteenth century Ming vase. "Do you want me to stuff you into that vase and leave you there?"

"Let's start with history!"

Wordlessly, she led him towards the left, which brought them into the prehistoric section of the museum. The crown jewel (at least in her opinion) was the massive Mosasaurus skeleton, carefully assembled and stretching out to its full thirty foot length in the very center. Once they were there, she steadfastly ignored her fellow teen as he wandered around, examining the different specimens and models.

"So, you work at the museum, huh?"

Ski'Lira blinked a little as she realized she was being addressed, with a personal question nonetheless. She hadn't even noticed that Dick had joined her next to the Mosasaurus. The last she'd seen he was on the other side looking at the giant sloth skeleton. "Yes. Obviously."

"You don't seem old enough to be an employee."

"My parents are the curators, thus my employment status is trivial. It's an honor to help them here." She desperately hoped that he would stop there, but apparently he didn't catch onto her aura of disinterest. The sooner he was gone, the faster she could finish her work.

And fix that stupid label because _it was still bothering her_.

"It must be pretty cool to work in a place like this. Does it have a name?"

Blinking once in surprise, she actually looked at him for the first time since the tour had started. "To what are you referring?"

Dick pointed at the Mosasaurus. "If it doesn't, you should give it one."

For a moment, she debated not answering, but she saw no reason to lie. "… His name is Angus."

" _Really_."

"I'm not the one who named him." She immediately snapped back.

Dick's face twisted into a smirk. "From the sound of it, you wanted something _different_."

Skylar couldn't help but smirk back. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out." Stepping away from Angus the Mosasaurus, she clasped her hands behind her back and led him back towards the stairs.

He would never find out that she still secretly called Angus 'Prince Malfeasance IV' in her head.

H

"Is there any reason why you're standing so far away?"

Skylar frowned, as Dick had interrupted her mid-explanation while they were in the midst of the Ancient Egypt exhibit. She had been offering a thoughtful insight into how they'd transferred all of the stone sarcophagi up the stairs.

Or at least, the fake explanation they provided to everyone who asked.

When you have three Thanagarians around, it was just easier to physically pick things up and move them yourselves instead of messing around with ramps and dollies.

She supposed it _was_ weird for humans to carry out conversations while standing at least ten feet away from each other in completely empty rooms. But his cologne was _really_ starting to bother her. She mentally weighed the pros and cons of potentially insulting someone who had a chance of ruining a good deal for the museum, before her irritation won out in the end.

Her parents said she had to take Dick on a tour of the museum, not that she had to be _pleasant_ about it.

"Your cologne is offensive to my senses."

Whatever response he had expected, Dick probably didn't see that coming. His eyes widened the slight margin as he pulled his collar away from his neck, giving himself a discreet sniff and wincing a little. "Sorry about that, Skylar, I think I've just gotten used to it. Bruce insists on it this morning, since its 'important to keep up appearances'."

There was just something slightly off about the way he said it, but she let it go. Instead, she wrinkled her nose and said, "Smell is not an appearance."

That promptly caused him to burst out laughing.

For a moment in her mind's eye, she saw a much more familiar black haired boy cackling, but she quickly shook that thought away.

Once he'd composed himself, he returned to perusing the exhibits. He'd become a little more about asking questions about what he saw, just as she had become more willing to answer them. After she'd finished a short spiel about the dig her parents had retrieved a certain artifact from, Dick slipped in another personal question.

"So do you work here after school?"

"Yes and no" She admitted, tilting her head a little. "I am homeschooled. Judging by your uniform, you aren't."

"I go to Gotham Academy." Dick moved his jacket a little so the emblem was in clear view.

Face twisting into a snarl of its own accord, her mind flashed back to being flung into the rafters of the Gotham Academy gymnasium, hand drifting unconsciously to her side in the memory of injured ribs. Her experience had scarred her for life, apparently.

"Something tells me you've heard of it." Her temporary companion sounded a little amused.

"I visited once." She deadpanned. "It didn't end well."

H

"I don't think I've ever seen this many weapons in one place." Dick admitted as he did a slow circle in place, taking in all of the glinting steel surrounding them. "If this wasn't a museum, I'd be worried."

"My parents' expertise lies in weaponry through the ages." Skylar explained. "Or at the very least, it is their favorite."

"What about you?"

She actually had to consider for a moment. "I… don't have a favorite yet, I suppose. We can learn much from all kinds of artifacts; jewelry, pottery, swords. There is something admirable in that, how we can tell how someone lived merely from what they left behind."

"That's… surprisingly insightful. Maybe you should talk to people more."

Skylar whirled on him, obscured eyes narrowing, disliking his tone. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!" Dick put his hands up in a placating gesture. "You just come across as a little… hostile. And you seem like you have a lot to say, but not a lot of people to say it _to_. I'm not helping my case, aren't I?"

"Not at all." She replied through gritted teeth.

"You just don't seem like you get out much. And considering you said you're homeschooled…" Dick trailed off a little.

Jaw set, Skylar was heavily debating tucking him under her arm like a football and carrying him back downstairs to stick him into that Ming vase after all. "And your point is?"

"Skylar… Don't you have any friends?"

Just like that, Skylar deflated a little. Turning away, she pushed back the loose strands of her hair from her face. "It's complicated."

"What's so complicated about having friends?" He asked, taking a tentative step closer. "Usually people have them or they don't, and that's the end of it. If you don't, I'm not going to hold it against you. Promise." Dick's tone was genuine, and she had zero doubts about his sincerity.

Letting out a frustrated huff, she whirled to face him again. " _People_ are complicated." She clarified. "People should…" She trailed off, catching sight of the exhibit he was standing in front of. "People should be more like knives. Sharp, and willing to let you throw them at other people who _get on your nerves_."

Dick's brow furrowed, eyes clouding over and mouth in a firm line. And then, his face loosened, as if he had just solved a particularly difficult puzzle. For a beat, he just _stared_ at her with blue eyes a few shades lighter than her own, and then he inexplicably started laughing.

He laughed loud, and long, to the point that she was starting to become a little concerned for his mental health.

Physically bent over with his hands on his knees, Dick drew in a shaky inhale as he finally managed to compose himself, wiping tears out of his eyes.

"Are you… alright?" She asked tentatively.

"I'm fine, just fine." He insisted. "Just… What you said, it reminded me of something one of my friends would say."

She let out a noncommittal hum, still watching him warily.

Straightening his tie and brushing invisible dirt off of his jacket, he did a sort of flourishing bow. "Well, shall we continue with the tour?"

H

If she was asked, Skylar would vehemently deny that she enjoyed showing Dick Grayson around her museum. She _didn't_ think that his intuitive questions were actually fun to answer rather than the inane ones she had to field from the average human who walked inside. She _wasn't_ impressed when he was actually able to name a few of the art pieces without looking at the placard. And she _definitely_ would have opposed another visit and _wasn't_ considering letting him down into the archives next time.

She somehow found herself escorting Dick all the way back to their car, where Mr. Wayne was waiting patiently in the driver's seat.

"This was fun." He said as he opened the door and slid into the empty back seat. "Very educational."

"I am pleased that you enjoyed your visit to the Stonechat Museum of Art and History."

"Can you try that again with more enthusiasm?"

"Can you go die in a fire?"

Dick flashed her a smile. "Really though, thanks. Today was _asterous._ "

Slamming the door shut, Mr. Wayne promptly started the car and drove off.

She just _stared_. For one minute. Then two. Finally, three minutes after _that little black haired gremlin_ took off, Skylar threw her hands up in the air. "That son of a-!"

The next time she visited the cave, she and a certain Boy Wonder were going to have _words_. Loud, angry ones. And possibly physical violence.

* * *

While I was planning this chapter out, I had the thought 'Why wouldn't Sky just be able to tell Rob's secret identity from smell alone?' Her sense of smell is hypersensitive and she'd definitely be able to distinguish between different people (something that will come up again in more detail later), so why wouldn't she connect Dick and Robin?

And then I thought… Hawkgirl isn't the only one with enhanced senses. There are plenty of villains whose olfactory senses are just as developed, if not better. So how does Batman keep him and his baby birds safe?

The answer? Expensive colognes that are highly offensive to the noses of the enhanced, and tolerable for normal people. Problem solved.

Thanks goes to one of my best friends for coming up with the name 'Prince Malfeasance IV'. I asked for a good shark name (while providing absolutely zero context) and I was not disappointed.

Hope you're all having a wonderful day!


	15. New Schools and Frenemies

Why is it that the chapters with Roy always take longer? It's a mystery. It's almost like his sheer dislike for Sky is weighing down my creative process. I had to debate between a few different ideas as far as the overall concept for this chapter, but I think I landed on a pretty good one.

And now I present, 'Targets'.

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2010  
06:20 EDT

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Ski'Lira's eyes were locked on the notebook carefully perched on her lap. Scrawled in a neat rows were a series of notes from the latest training session with Black Canary, carefully organized according to the team member in question.

"I think we should step up M'Gann's agility and self-defense training. I don't like how much she relies on her powers." She began, flipping to a new blank page and snagging her pen from beside her to quickly jot that down.

"I agree." Aqualad answered, carefully stepping around where her wing were spread out behind her, and began pacing a little. "Perhaps Robin can assist her with the former?"

"He'll most likely be alright with that." She wrote that down too. "But I think if we can get Wally to stop ogling her every thirty seconds, he could be a great help as well, at least for practical application… Actually… That might be a good option for the _entire_ team."

"Hm… Are you suggesting he use his super speed against us?"

"Yes. And maybe using projectiles in addition to physical attacks of his own. Harmless ones, of course. I know how fragile you Terrans can be." She shot him a smirk that earned her a slightly exasperated look in return.

But whatever rebuttal he was about to give was abruptly interrupted by an unexpected source, as a telltale beep heralded the activation of a League issue comm unit as they were hailed.

"Aqualad." Kaldur answered immediately.

" _Red Arrow"_ Ski'Lira's spine stiffened. _"I need access to the Justice League's database and the exact height of the League of Shadows assassin known as Cheshire."_

Pointedly remaining silent, she kept her eyes trained on the wall in front of her as Aqualad complied with the request.

"Checking" He announced, pulling up a circular holographic screen, manipulating a keyboard with one hand to connect to the database in question. "Cheshire is one point six seven meters."

" _Um…"_

"She is five six." Aqualad corrected. "And exceptionally dangerous. Do you require back-up?"

" _Please the last thing I need is the Junior Justice League."_

"Just our computer." The Atlantean smirked. "Good luck, my friend. Aqualad out."

Shutting down the screen, he turned back to Ski'Lira. "Where were we-?" He cut himself off. "Hawkgirl, are you alright?"

"Just fine." She said through gritted teeth.

"The pen you just destroyed begs to differ."

Looking down, she finally noticed the ink-covered notebook and the splintered pen in her hands. Unluckily, her jeans hadn't been spared their inky fate. "Son of a _bitch_."

"Perhaps you should consider switching to pencils…?"

Growling at him, Ski'Lira stood up. "I'm going to clean up."

"Remember, we have fifteen minutes before Superboy and M'Gann leave for school."

"Yes, I know. I'll be there."

Grumbling under her breath, she stomped off towards her room to grab replacement pants before making a beeline for the showers. Stripping off her jeans, she didn't even try to rinse out the stains, instead pulling the important items out of the pockets before carefully folding them and setting them aside so she could toss them in the washing machine.

(One of the perks of having part-time residence in a superhero headquarters, industrial strength washing machines. Those suckers could take bloodstains out of white fabric without leaving a single trace.)

Checking via the mirror, she made sure that there were no matching stains on her grey halter top (of which there were none).

The ink hadn't seeped through the fabric too badly, so a quick scrub with wet paper towels and soap easily washed off the black substance from her legs, though getting it off of her hand and forearm took longer. Unfortunately, she didn't have a spare pair of jeans (and she made a mental note to rectify that error) so instead she was wearing a pair of loose grey sweatpants. Tucking her phone and keys back into her pockets, she took a last moment to pull off her mask and readjust it before heading out.

Dropping back by the laundry room, she threw the jeans into the hamper designated as hers (which had been Robin's idea, mostly because their uniforms were made of different fabrics and mixing them up could be disastrous). While she was there, she heard the computer announce the arrival of both Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado, taking that as her cue to rejoin the others, but she did make one small detour back to her room to pick up something for Superboy.

The menial tasks she'd just undertaken had done wonders in tampering down her temper, and she had nearly forgotten about Roy.

But not completely.

On the way, she met up with Aqualad, J'onn, and Red Tornado, and as a group they headed into the hangar where they could send off their two, soon to be high-schooled teammates. Superboy had apparently just finished working on his bike, with M'Gann standing near him bearing two paper bags.

Martian Manhunter spoke first to announce their presence. "The first day of a scholastic season carries great cultural resonance. We want to wish you both well."

When he finally looked at them, Superboy's face fell slightly in clear disappointment. "Guess it's not a Kryptonian thing."

M'Gann set the lunch bags on top of Superboy's bike, seemingly searching for something reassuring to say. But Aqualad spoke up to defuse the situation by changing topics. "You may wish to change before you depart." He gave a meaningful look towards their current attire.

"Ah!" M'Gann's face suddenly erupted into a blinding grin. "I spent _hours_ choosing this outfit." Her usual uniform shifted into a matching dark pink skirt and jacket ensemble, with white knee high socks and black flats. It definitely suited her… not that Ski'Lira would ever _tell_ her that, but it did. Although her still-green skin did ruin the illusion more than a little. "What do you think? Can M'Gann M'orzz pass as an Earth girl now?"

"Well…" Aqualad looked distinctly uncomfortable, before M'Gann burst out laughing.

"Just kidding!" Her verdant skin changed into a standard flesh color for a Caucasian female, her eyes and hair remaining their usual hues. "Meet Megan Morse!" She proceeded to do a single spin and curtsied before whirling towards Superboy. "What's your new name?"

"My what?"

Ski'Lira resisted the urge to smack herself in the head. She _knew_ she'd forgotten to talk to him about something.

Thankfully, J'onn was already on it. He altered his own appearance until the vestiges of his Martian characteristics were gone. He wore a smart suit, slipping into his human persona that Ski'Lira had only seen a couple of times before. "I chose the name John Jones for myself and suggested John Smith for Red Tornado. You could be a John, too."

Not to mention John Stewart, Green Lantern, racking up the number of 'Johns' in the Justice League to three.

"Pass." Superboy immediately declined.

"You're lucky." Hawkgirl spoke up. "You get to choose your own human name." She couldn't help her small frown. "Green Arrow picked mine for me." She would never forgive him for giving her a _pun_ as a name.

M'Gann grabbed Superboy by the arm and shoulder. "Conner's always been my favorite name."

The half-Kryptonian merely shrugged, though Ski'Lira knew that was the greatest show of acceptance he could have given. Conner was a pretty good choice, actually. It suited him.

"A last name will also be required." Kaldur reminded gently.

"Perhaps Kent."

Hawkgirl's head whipped towards J'onn so fast that the cracking of her neck was audible. Her eyes were wide behind her mask, and she was doing everything in her power to keep from smiling uncontrollably.

"Oh, in memory of Dr. Fate!" M'Gann assumed incorrectly, though she appeared to be thrilled with the connection. "The late Kent Nelson!"

J'onn merely returned to his Martian form, calm as ever. "Of course."

"Okay." The newly dubbed Conner shrugged. "I guess it would be an honor or something." His blue eyes snapped over to Ski'Lira, a questioning look in them. She gave him the tiniest of nods, and she saw his shoulders release an iota of tension at her affirmation of the choice.

"Well, Conner Kent, time to change your shirt." Megan tapped the obvious red symbol on his chest. "You don't want to reveal your identity."

Ski'Lira desperately wanted to point out that it would probably be his face that would spoil his own identity, but she kept silent.

Unfazed, Conner took off his shirt and just turned it inside out. "Will this work?"

Blushing up a storm, M'Gann was blatantly staring. "Heh. Works for me."

"Wait…" Conner said. "Shouldn't I be Conner _Nelson_?"

The two walked off, as Hawkgirl once more fought a smile.

"They grow up so fast." J'onn said wistfully.

Shaking her head a little, Ski'Lira broke away from the group, jogging to catch up to her teammates. She ended up catching them at the entrance of the mountain.

"Megan, may I have a moment with Conner?" She requested.

"Of course!" The disguised Martian reached out and gently squeezed Conner's shoulder. "I'll meet you up ahead?"

He gave the tiniest of nods before she flounced off, practically floating she was so giddy with excitement.

"Conner, hm?" Ski'Lira began. "It's a good fit."

"Thanks." He went silent for a moment, clearly fighting with himself over asking a question. She merely remained patient. "So… It's… It's really okay for me to be, well… a Kent?"

Mentally thanking years of Thanagarian evolution and intense training that gave her an excellent poker face, she rose an eyebrow, the effect lost since it was still hidden behind her mask. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I know Kent Nelson was… important. To you." He clarified, face going a little red.

"He was. And I know he'd be glad to share his name with you. The name is more apt than you know." Before he could question her about _that_ , she swiftly changed topics. "But that's not why I pulled you aside."

Conner's expression sobered. "What is it?"

"I have not had _personal_ experience with Earth high schools, but I have heard stories from reputable sources." Those sources mostly being Roy and Uncle Hal, though recently Dick had taken to telling her stories about Gotham Academy now that she knew about his real identity. "I… would like to offer you some advice while the adults cannot hear us, mostly because I don't think they would… approve."

His sudden spike in interest was nearly palpable. "What?"

"Humans have developed a number of strategies to avoid talking to each other. It's quite remarkable the lengths they'll go to, really. One of these strategies is pretending to be busy on their phone."

Conner's brows knit together in confusion. "Okay… But how is that supposed to help me?"

Hawkgirl reached into her right pocket and held out a brand new smartphone towards him. Cautiously, he took it from her, though he just held it gently. "Robin and I both agreed that you should have a phone, mostly so that you can more easily contact us while we're away from the mountain. And before you ask, no, you don't worry about paying bills or anything, since you're part of my family's cell plan, unlimited calls and texting, not to mention all the additional encrypting Robin did himself. Both of our cell numbers are already in there… And my parents' are in there too, on their request. For emergencies."

Thoroughly thrown for a loop, Conner carefully stowed the device in his pocket. "I… Don't know what to say."

"On Thanagar, it is tradition to give gifts on important milestones. And I think your first day at school is quite a meaningful one." She explained. "And now you have your own defense mechanism. When you are not in class and do not wish to talk to your fellow students, you can pretend just as they do. Or you can _actually_ text me or Robin, if you like."

The very small smile she earned in response completely made up for the morning's earlier unpleasantness. "Good luck on your first day. I know you will need it." After giving him a firm pat on the back, she headed back inside the mountain.

H

She received a text from Conner earlier than she had expected. It was a welcome break, as she was merely hanging out in the kitchen and finally eating breakfast, reading an eBook via her phone. Half an hour after she had said her farewell, her phone buzzed in her hand as a notification popped up from Superboy's number. She took a moment to edit his contact to 'Conner' before actually reading the message.

 _Conner: I hate this._

Snorting a little, she tapped out a reply with one hand while shoveling a spoonful of cereal into her mouth with the other.

 _HG: If you recall, I did try to warn you._

 _Conner: They're all wearing shirts with hero logos._

 _Conner: Why couldn't I have worn mine?_

She couldn't help her slight wince, okay yeah, that must have been a hell of a slap in the face. And considering how popular Superman merchandise was… Ski'Lira opted to supply at least a little positivity to cheer him up.

 _HG: At least you can just wear a normal shirt in public. Do you know how many weird looks I get for wearing baggy jackets in the middle of summer?_

 _Conner: Do you care?_

 _HG: Not at all : )_

 _Conner: What was that? The parenthesis?_

Oh, how the tables have turned. It was strange being on the other side of this question.

 _HG: It's called an emoticon. It's supposed to represent a smiley face._

 _Conner: It's stupid._

 _HG: It grows on you._

After he sent a final message telling her that class was finally starting, she reopened the eBook. But her silence was interrupted once more barely ten minutes later by another text.

Though this one definitely wasn't from Conner.

 _Dick: Did you remember to give SB the phone?_

 _Sky: Of course I did. He's gotten the hang of texting fairly quickly._

 _Dick: Good for him. How's he doin?_

 _Sky: About as well as expected from the sound of it. Pretty sure M'Gann's having more fun than he is._

 _Sky: But…_

 _Sky: Something important did happen…_

 _Dick: ?_

 _Sky: He picked a name. With help._

 _Dick: I'm on the edge of my seat._

 _Sky: Megan picked Conner._

 _Sky: And J'onn suggested Kent as a last name. They thought it was for Nelson._

 _Dick. O.O_

 _Dick: I'll have you know I just nearly got caught texting in class because of that bombshell._

 _Sky: Please, like they'd ever catch you._

 _Dick: :P_

 _Dick: But that's… pretty big._

 _Sky: I think J'onn's trying to preemptively guilt big blue._

 _Sky: I can't wait to-_

"Hawkgirl, may I have a word?"

 _Sky: gtg_

Putting her phone to sleep, she slipped it into the pocket of her sweatpants and turned so she was facing Aqualad directly. His mouth was set in a grim line, a worried draw of his eyebrows making her more than a little concerned.

"I hope I was not interrupting anything important?" He asked.

"No." Ski'Lira immediately answered. "Just bringing Robin up to speed on recent events… Is something wrong?"

"Red Arrow has called in for backup on his mission."

Ski'Lira froze for a moment, but it was so subtle and fleeting that she knew for an absolute fact that the astute green-eyed boy currently staring her down hadn't noticed. "Oh?"

"He is currently acting alone to take down a formidable assassin that _we_ failed to apprehend in the past and seems to be struggling."

"You mean Cheshire."

"Correct."

At that moment, it clicked. She knew _exactly_ what Kaldur was trying to ask of her, and she only had one answer for him. "No."

That threw him for a loop, and his eyes widened in surprise. "No? You think he can handle it alone?"

"Of course he can't. I meant _no_ I'm not going with you to help him."

"May I ask why not?"

"You can."

An awkward silence settled over the two of them, before Aqualad broke it with a small sigh. "I would feel far more confident if the both of us went to support him."

"The answer's still no."

"And I would still like to know _why_." Setting her jaw and crossing her arms, she settled in for a long, silent contest of wills. But Kaldur wasn't content with merely staring. "Never before have I heard you turn down the prospect of a fight, nor the chance to defend a comrade in battle. But now all of a sudden you decide that you do not wish to do so at all?"

"It's more complicated than you think, Kaldur." She answered immediately.

"Then _explain_." He was sounding thoroughly exasperated by this point. " _Please_ , Hawkgirl."

A small growl of frustration building in her throat, Ski'Lira found herself crumbling under the force of both a direct order from her superior, and Kaldur's concerned expression. "I _can't_ go with you to Taipei to help Roy."

"You _can't_. Not won't. Can't." He repeated, as if for clarification.

She offered an affirmative nod. "Incapable of doing so, yes."

He merely waited patiently for her to continue talking.

"I… Well… As you know, despite our relative autonomy, the League ultimately has control over us. Multiple members of the League had… concerns… and… I've been banned from working with Red Arrow until further notice. If I do so anyway, I will be immediately suspended from the Team."

Apparently Aqualad hadn't expected that exact answer, and was thus understandably taken aback. "I knew there was some… tension, between the two of you, but does that really warrant such restriction? You seemed quite complacent with our attempt to recruit Roy onto the Team."

"I was, at the time. There may have been… an incident." Hawkgirl winced as her mind drifted into the past. "This happened not long after we first encountered the League of Shadows as a team. I stumbled across Roy in New Orleans by pure chance. He was doing a stakeout while I was searching overhead for an escaped prisoner. I thought there was a chance he might have seen my target, and well… an honest attempt at professional cooperation escalated very quickly."

"I am… almost afraid to ask how exactly." Kaldur prompted cautiously.

"There was a significant amount of yelling… and by the time my father arrived on the scene, he had an arrow pointed at my face and I was about to hit him with my mace." She frowned a little, remembering her father's disappointment. "He reported the incident to Batman and Black Canary. They in turn deemed it a cause of concern and the ban was put in place."

A short sigh left her lips as she turned her head to the side, wings drooping a little behind her. She _really_ didn't want to think about Roy, specifically, how hostile her relationship with him had become. She still remembered fond days at the beach, of showing off what they'd learned in training, of his lessons in how to properly ride a motorcycle, and of pulling all-nighters playing video games because they were both too stubborn to concede defeat.

The sensation of a hand on her shoulder roused her from her reminiscing. Kaldur had moved to stand in front of her, reassuring smile on his face. "I understand, Hawkgirl. And I apologize for forcing you to talk about a sensitive subject."

"Don't apologize." She insisted. "It was… nice getting to talk to someone about it." Aqualad wasn't the first person on the team to know (mostly because Robin seemed to know _everything_ ), but he was the first that she actually felt comfortable talking about it with.

"Then I consider it an honor that you have trusted me."

"We are friends, aren't we?" Hawkgirl offered, making his smile widen. Clearing her throat, she hopped off her stool, dislodging his hand in the process. "Well, I can't go with you to Taipei to save Scarlet's ass, but I _do_ have an idea how I can help."

H

Stretching her arms as far above her head as they could go, Ski'Lira settled in for the long haul. She sat in the very center of the Hub, perched carefully on a stool that she had stolen from the kitchen. Surrounding her was a semi-circle of holographic screens, each one displaying something different. Several to her right were tuned in to multiple news broadcasts from Taipei, while the ones on her left were all plugged into various external security cameras from the buildings surrounding the peace summit's location.

Dominating the largest screen directly in front of her was a live feed from the body cam she had affixed to Aqualad.

" _Are you sure you can operate from here?"_

 _Ski'Lira scowled at him and resisted the urge to slap him upside the head as she carefully applied the spy gear to his person. A communicator fit into his ear that was nearly imperceptible, while an equally tiny camera was fit around the shell of his opposite ear. It would allow her to get a view almost identical to his eye line._

" _I don't just hit things with a mace, you know." She replied instead, satisfied with her work and heading towards a holographic screen to make sure that everything was broadcasting correctly. A few key taps pulled up the footage, and she saw herself nearly through Aqualad's eyes as she tested it._

" _I apologize for insinuating otherwise."_

" _Better be." Ski'Lira grumbled. "The camera is tough, but not indestructible. Please avoid being hit in the head."_

" _I was planning to do so anyway."_

 _He ended up with a smack upside the head for the cheeky comment anyway._

" _The camera picks up both audio and video, so I'll be able to hear what you hear. But if you want to contact me directly, you'll have to use the earpiece."_

" _Alright."_

" _I'd much rather physically be there with you, especially since Cheshire's involved, but I'll do what I can."_

" _I appreciate it, Hawkgirl."_

Needless to say, Red Arrow was far less… accepting of the Thanagarian's help, but it was to be expected. It took a significant amount of arguing on Aqualad's part to convince him to switch his comm unit over to his and Hawkgirl's channel, and even then he still hadn't said a single word to her.

With Red Arrow's help, sneaking Aqualad into the event had been a cake walk. Now came the difficult part.

"I need you to make a sweep of the room. Try to get everyone's face." She requested.

Moments later, he had found a nice vantage point that gave him a view of the entire room. It took a few minutes to properly get _everyone's_ face, but he managed to do it. Once she had the data, she put the footage through facial recognition and set it to work.

Mere seconds afterwards (since League tech was almost scarily efficient), she had found their target.

"Aqualad, Scarlet, I have confirmed Cheshire's presence. She's in the back of the room, traditional dress and makeup, wearing bright red. I believe she's posing as the tea server."

Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the assassin to make her move.

H

 _Sky: I'm back._

 _Dick: Something up?_

 _Sky: Mission. Running the Hub for Kaldur. I may or may not have forgotten we were texting._

 _Dick: Oof, running comms? That must hurt you to your core_

 _Sky: It does. But it's a necessary pain._

 _Dick: ?_

 _Sky: Roy_

 _Dick: OOF_

 _Dick: League of Assassins, huh?_

Honestly, she shouldn't be surprised. Robin really did know everything.

 _Sky: They seem to have it under control at the moment._

 _Dick: Shouldn't you be paying closer attention :P?_

 _Sky: I can multitask._

 _Sky: And I'm trying to distract myself from Luthor's nauseatingly flowery lies. Please tell me the League's investigating his involvement in this?_

 _Dick: Of course they are, but as of right now, he's… actually doing something good?_

 _Dick: Ugh_

 _Dick: I think I need to bleach my eyes._

 _Dick: I can't believe I just wrote that._

 _Sky: How could you?_

 _Dick: My friend's giving me a weird look now. Aaaaaand now the teacher's all suspicious_

 _Dick: Should probably stop texting before I get detention_

 _Sky: Please do not get detention._

 _Dick: No promises : )_

Putting her phone back into sleep mode, Ski'Lira refocused on the broadcast as Luthor seemed to be winding down in his spiel. The moment she heard the words "tea ceremony" leave his lying mouth, her spine stiffened and she shifted over to combat mode.

"On your six, Aqualad." She said calmly, reminding her leader of the assassin's current position. She watched the body cam footage like… a hawk… as Aqualad turned around, facing the "Tea Server" head on.

Holding one of his water bearers in front of him in a defensive position, Aqualad addressed the intruder directly. _"That is far enough, Cheshire."_

There was an instant where Cheshire's mask fell, a slight frown on her face that was only accentuated by the bold make-up covering her features. But then she smirked.

Drawing her arms back, she practically threw the metal trolley in her grasp as hard as she could straight towards the Atlantean. Ski'Lira saw Aqualad's arms move up, and then water seemed to appear out of _nowhere_ , forming up around himself and the civilians in a watery dome. An arrow flew past from off screen, impacting the trolley before it hit the dome, and said trolley promptly exploded.

Ski'Lira stood up so fast her stool was sent clattering on the ground behind her as Aqualad's body cam turned black and the audio turned to static. External security footage clearly displayed the shattered windows and smoke billowing out of the newly created holes.

When Aqualad's footage suddenly burst back into life, she let out a relieved sigh, though that relief didn't last long as she realized the audio was still an unpleasant screech. Wrinkling her nose, she disconnected it. Just as she was about to ask Aqualad to report in, something caught her eye on the external footage.

A helicopter.

She _knew_ that all air traffic around the summit had been grounded, so it was a safe bet that it wasn't friendly.

"Unidentified helicopter quickly approaching your position." She said succinctly. "And I've lost audio from your camera feed. Request verbal confirmation that communications are still operational."

" _Aqualad, reporting in."_ When he spoke, she picked up on some ambient audio, mostly terrified screaming from the civilians and orders flying left and right for evacuations.

" _I can hear you."_ Well, she certainly hadn't expected Roy to say anything. _"Unfortunately for me."_ There it was.

Satisfied that her two fellow heroes seemed to be unaffected by the blast, and that she wasn't completely cut off from them, she turned her attention back to the assassin at fault for the mess.

Cheshire was lying on the ground amidst broken glass and debris, though her hair and makeup was _somehow_ still impeccably perfect.

Roy already had an arrow trained on her, standing just off to the side of Aqualad, so she could see his mouth move as he said something (though she had no idea _what_ exactly, as she didn't have the clearest view of his lips in order to read them).

However, she _could_ see Cheshire just fine. _"You would think so."_ The woman stood up gracefully. Either she _wasn't_ affected by the blast in the slightest, or she was just very good at pretending. Ski'Lira was definitely leaning towards the latter.

But that thought was immediately overridden as the helicopter finally arrived, open door slotting perfectly within the hole in the building. Sportsmaster stood at the forefront of a squad consisting of black clothed thugs, all heavily armed. As he jumped off, his goons spread out into the building, and Cheshire flipped to her feet. Some manner of sleight of hand resulted in two Sais held tightly in her hands.

" _So territorial, and only our third date."_ Cheshire said, looking towards the red headed archer.

Ski'Lira's brow furrowed, mentally filing that away to both ask someone about and potentially make fun of Roy for.

The body cam was obscured for a moment as Aqualad executed a neat flip over Cheshire, locking onto Sportsmaster as his primary target.

"Try to keep your distance." Hawkgirl advised. "Sportsmaster's an expert in hand to hand _and_ weapon based combat."

" _Acknowledged"_

A pair of water whips appeared from Aqualad's water bearers, each bearing spikey mace heads. Hawkgirl felt thoroughly vindicated. "How thoughtful of you." She deadpanned. He must never know how happy that made her.

Aqualad was actually doing pretty well against his opponent, far better than she _thought_ he would. Of course, that's immediately when things started to go wrong. Sportsmaster made an unexpected charge forward, decking Aqualad straight in the face, causing him to fall face down onto the ground and obscuring the camera footage in the process.

"Move, Kaldur!" She yelled. "Now!"

The Atlantean rolled off to the side, just in time to dodge a meteor hammer aimed straight for his face. Her phone abruptly buzzed in her pocket, heralding a new text. She didn't _check_ it, but the sudden disruption had been enough for her to glance away from the screen.

And apparently in that mere moment of distraction, Sportsmaster had exchanged the meteor hammer for a rapier and had switched over to a standard fencing stance. That right there was part of why he was so dangerous, Sportsmaster was _unpredictable_.

Aqualad met the villain's blade with two of his own. Judging by the way he was moving, he was speaking to Aqualad, but because of his _stupid_ hockey mask, she couldn't tell what it was in the slightest. Though, it was probably just another villain monologue, and she'd heard enough of those to last a lifetime.

Not that she'd _ever_ stop hearing them, considering her line of work.

The fight was disrupted as the sprinklers went off, dousing the room in water. Ski'Lira pumped her fist into the air as the tide of battle was turned in Aqualad's favor. After all, there were few things more dangerous than an Atlantean in their element.

Kaldur definitely didn't disappoint, as a _massive_ serpent made out of liquid took form, its master directing it towards every intruder scattered around the room. But just as its watery maw was about to close on Sportsmaster and Cheshire, black smoke erupted at their feet. The ensuing cloud forced Aqualad to drop his construct, buying just enough time for one of the black-clad assassins to break free. They jumped out of the smoke and headed straight towards the leaders. Aqualad tracked the movement, but Luthor's aide calmly stepped forward, holding out a hand that shifted into plates, revealing a laser jutting out of her palm. She shot the assassin out of the air.

When Aqualad turned back around, Sportsmaster and Cheshire had disappeared without a trace.

H

Hand perched on her chin and once more sitting on her recently righted stool, Hawkgirl watched the news feed, which displayed the final signing of the treaty between North and South Rhelasia. She had cut off the live video feed from Aqualad's camera some time ago, citing it was probably safer to remove the malfunctioning equipment entirely before it caught fire. And considering its proximity to his face… Yeah, it was just safer to abandon it completely for now.

The only reason she was still hanging around the Hub was because she was waiting for confirmation for Aqualad's return to the Cave, and well, once again it was safer than to be sorry in case of a follow-up attack.

Even though she was waiting for it, the sudden sound of her communicator still startled her the tiniest bit. But when she heard _Roy's_ voice, she was thrown for a loop. After a second, she realized he was very clearly in mid-conversation, the archer's voice picked up as ambient noise from Kaldur's earpiece.

" _-luck with that."_

" _One moment, my friend."_ Aqualad said. _"Tonight you could have called Green Arrow for help, or the Justice League… Instead, your first instinct was to call the Cave."_

" _You're right."_ His answer sounded more than a little reluctant. _"The team deserves… has my respect. I'm still getting used to this solo act stuff. But if you need me… I'll be there."_

" _Does that happen to apply to the entirety of the team?"_

"… _Yeah. Any of you. Just… don't tell the harpy I said that. See you around, Aqualad."_

The comm cut off and Hawkgirl was struck thoroughly speechless. Pulling out her own earpiece, she pulled her mask off of her head and ran a hand through her brown hair before throwing her head back and groaning. Why were people so damn _complicated?_

H

Hawkgirl was waiting for Aqualad's return in the Hub, yellow cloth mask firmly back in place. When he stepped out of the zeta tube, she raised a hand in greeting. "Good to see you're not injured. I didn't think you were, but…"

"I am unharmed. I do not find myself in the habit of hiding my injuries from my teammates." He offered, mouth pulling up slightly in a smile.

She scowled at him. "That was _once_."

"And I doubt it will be the last."

Hawkgirl immediately opened her mouth to refute that point, but snapped it shut when she realized he had a point. Instead, she changed topics. "At least your mission was successful."

"It was Red Arrow's more than mine. And your help was invaluable."

"I would have been more valuable if I was actually fighting _with_ you. But it was no trouble on my part. And…" She trailed off a little, clearing her throat loudly. "That was a nice thing you did for me. Thank you."

"I am just glad that I have proven there is still hope for you and Roy's friendship."

"Well I wouldn't go _that_ far." She grumbled, but any further grievances she could have aired about the archer were stopped by the sudden buzzing of her phone. It was at that moment she realized she'd forgotten to check her message from earlier.

Both were from Conner, with the first being a slightly odd question.

 _Conner: What are cheerleaders for?_

And the most recent one.

 _Conner: Back from school._

 _HG: Aqualad and I are in the Hub._

After typing back her answer, she just waited in complete silence, offering Aqualad no explanation. She gave a mental countdown, and sure enough, M'Gann flew into the Hub, spinning around in a couple of happy circles once she touched down. Conner sauntered in after her, face twisted into almost a look of frustration combined with disbelief.

"Hey guys!" The Martian girl greeted them excitedly, jumping up and down. "Guess what? Guess what?!"

"Did… you have a pleasant day at school?" Kaldur posed.

"Yes! But that's not it!" She was smiling so wide, Ski'Lira was slightly convinced she was using her morphing powers to make it wider. "I'm officially a Bumblebee!"

With that one sentence, Ski'Lira hit the top of her tolerance meter. "… That's it for me today." Spinning on her heel, she made a beeline straight for the hallway, offering Conner an acknowledging nod. "I'll be in the gym aggressively weight lifting if anyone needs me."

* * *

WHO GAVE HAWKGIRL RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE CONFUSED CLONE BOY?! WHO ALLOWED THIS HAPPEN?!

… Oh.

It was me.

I am.

WELL I'M NOT SORRY.

 **Next time on Fight or Flight:** … Hold up, I actually have to check my notes because I have _no idea_ which one is next. OH DAMN, IT'S THAT ONE! I've been waiting forever to write this chapter!

 **Next time on Fight or Flight:**

Conner blinked exactly twice as the implication of what she meant finally hit him. "… Hawkgirl?"

"That'd be me, yes"

"I… didn't recognize you without your armor and mace. Or your mask… thing."

Skylar proudly held up her lanyard that clearly had a small bottle of mace dangling from it.

The half-Kryptonian suddenly looked like she'd handed him a particularly difficult puzzle. "You… don't really need that, do you?"

"Not at all. But I'd never pass up the opportunity to pepper spray someone in the face. If I have to play human, I should at least take advantage of some of the perks."


	16. Friends Are People Who Are Not Strangers

I've been so excited to post this chapter for _ages_. Writing Skylar in her civilian persona is always fun, especially when she's thrown at an unsuspecting member of the Team.

Thank you all for your lovely comments, honestly, reading them always brings a smile to my face, and I'm glad you love Ski'Lira as much as I do. Seriously, this story got _way_ more traction than I was expecting and I can't thank you enough for all of your support throughout this endeavor.

Especially since we've barely scratched the surface. : )

* * *

ST. ROCH, LOUISIANA  
SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2010  
15:40 CST

Ski'Lira was alone in the Hol Residence, a fact that she was relieved by, mostly because it meant she didn't have to use earbuds and she could blast her music as loud as she wanted to. The ambient noise made the chore of a long math assignment slightly more bearable. She didn't really mind math, it was just slightly tedious. With the addition of her increased involvement with the team, she had been forced to alter her schoolwork schedule accordingly. Thankfully, online classes were far more accommodating with ridiculous time constraints.

Finishing a line of numbers, she cracked her neck back and forth before starting on the next problem. But she'd barely gotten two digits in before her phone started to buzz and ring on the table in front of her. The screen lit up, displaying an unfamiliar number.

Brow slightly furrowed, she picked it up to answer it, pausing her music. "Skylar Hall speaking."

" _I need you to head to Metropolis."_

Her eyebrows flew up to her hairline. "Ba- Mr. Wayne?"

" _Clark was set to meet with Conner today after he was finished with school, but he cancelled last minute."_ Wayne continued. _"You should go pick him up."_

"Where is he?"

" _I'll text you the location."_

Sliding off her seat, she grabbed her key lanyard, phone, wallet, and sunglasses before turning off the lights. "On my way. And… please tell me you're going to yell at Clark for this?"

" _Yes."_

"Good. Farewell, Mr. Wayne."

As she headed out the door (snagging her green khaki jacket from a hook by the door), she took a moment to save Wayne's number as a new contact. Once the door was closed behind her, she stuffed her phone back in her pocket, tied her jacket around her waist, and snapped her wings open to fly to the nearest zeta point.

H

One of the things that Skylar appreciated about big cities was the fact that people didn't try to _talk_ to you most of the time. When walking down a crowded street, people aimed to get from one place to another and didn't have time to stop for small talk. Of course, there were outliers, people with petitions and handing out flyers who made it a point to _try_ to talk to as many people as possible. For the most part, she ignored them.

But she did make it a point to hand over twenty five dollars in donation to a woman representing a local no-kill animal shelter. The woman gave her a Snoopy sticker that she immediately tacked onto the front of her jacket.

Skylar hadn't been to Metropolis _nearly_ enough to have a mental map of the city, so like any normal person she had to rely on a GPS app on her phone. Batman had told her that Superboy was waiting in a slightly secluded area in the park, where he would be able to meet Superman in a neutral location without being mobbed by passerby.

It wasn't her first visit to this specific park, she'd actually been here a few times growing up, mostly when it was the Man of Steel's turn to babysit her. That meant she knew exactly where to find her teammate.

Lo and behold, Conner was sitting alone on a park bench, spine nearly ramrod straight and hands setting lightly on his knees as he stared straight at the ground. Pushing her aviators up her nose, she stuffed her hands in the pocket of her jacket and sauntered over. As casually as she could manage, she sat down on the opposite side of his chosen bench.

"Rough day?"

Conner's fingers clenched tighter on his knees as he finally looked up from the ground to glance at her. "How can you tell?"

At that moment, Ski'Lira realized that he had _no_ idea who she was, not that it was surprising considering the circumstances. And being her, she couldn't resist taking at least a _little_ advantage of his ignorance. "You were glaring at the ground like it had personally offended you… did it?"

"… No." He answered.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Why would I do that?"

Was this what it was like when people tried to talk to her? Skylar gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. "Just thought I'd extend the offer. My name's Skylar, by the way. Skylar Hall." She held out a hand.

Still looking more than a little wary (and she was so proud of his vigilance), he returned the handshake. "Conner" He stayed silent for a moment, considering her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick up a friend." She answered, not being able to hold back her smirk. "Apparently he's been having a rough day, too." Seeing that she had his interest piqued, she pulled her legs up so she was sitting cross-legged on the bench and continued. "See, he was supposed to meet someone else today, but they never showed up."

The black haired teen let out a short grunt, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Have you been stalking me?"

Skylar let out an amused snort. "I knew you'd pick up on the ruse quickly, but you don't quite have it all figured out." Seeing his increasingly aggressive facial expressions and the way his hand balled up into fists, she decided to just let the cat out of the bag. "It's not often that I turn down a potential fight, but the middle of a public park while we're both in our civilian personas is far from ideal. But we _do_ have a training session with Canary tomorrow morning, will that suffice?"

Conner blinked exactly twice as the implication of what she meant finally hit him and all of the tension drained out of him like a slowly deflating balloon. "… Hawkgirl?"

"That'd be me, yes." She offered a slight tip of her head in acknowledgement.

"I… didn't recognize you without your armor and mace. Or your mask… thing."

Skylar proudly held up her lanyard that clearly had a small bottle of mace dangling from it.

The half-Kryptonian suddenly looked like she'd handed him a particularly difficult puzzle. "You… don't really need that, do you?"

"Not at all. But I'd never pass up the opportunity to pepper spray someone in the face. If I have to play human, I should at least take advantage of some of the perks."

He nodded slightly, though he was still clearly confused. "Where are your wings?"

Instead of verbally answering, she flexed the feathery appendages ever so slightly, shifting them underneath the thick material of her jacket. The last of his wariness at her presence left him, though he still seemed slightly on edge, no doubt still reeling from his earlier upset. Speaking of which…

"I'm sorry that Superman cancelled."

"How did you know I was here?"

"Batman." His blue eyes snapped to hers, looking slightly astonished. "He told me to come pick you up. _And_ that he was going to have a talk with a certain Kryptonian."

"… Oh"

"I'm pretty sure he intended for me to just take you back home to Happy Harbor, but…" Hopping off the bench, she stretched out her arms and readjusted the hem of her shirt from where it rode up. "I have a better idea. Come on." Jerking her head, she started walking away from the bench. A few moments later, she heard footsteps behind her, and Conner moved to keep pace at her side.

"Where are we going?"

Skylar merely kept walking.

H

"… Do I get to know where we are now?"

Digging her lanyard out of her pocket, Ski'Lira slipped her house key into the lock, and the front door of her home swung open. Heading inside, she toed off her shoes and shucked off her jacket before heading further into the house, flipping lights on as she went.

She heard the soft closing of the door behind her. "This is… your house?" Conner asked as he cautiously ambled inside, head swiveling to take in the interior. His attention was finally drawn by set of framed pictures on the wall, displaying younger versions of herself as well as a few members of the League.

Ski'Lira left him to his investigating, opting to message Batman that she'd successfully retrieved her target. After that, she waited for Conner to finish looking around. Eventually, he ended up in the kitchen where she was leaning against the counter patiently. It was natural for him to be curious. Thinking about it, this was Conner's first time inside an 'actual' Earth occupant's home, instead of a League outpost or whatever exotic locale they happen to visit on their missions.

"I was planning on making myself a sandwich, want one?" She offered. It was a bit of an awkward time to eat by human standards, but they were both nonhuman entities with increased metabolisms.

"… I… am a little hungry." Conner admitted.

"Is turkey alright?" At his affirming nod, she headed over towards the fridge. "Feel free to take a seat." Hearing a scraping noise, she tossed a glance over her shoulder as she was rooting through the fridge to see he had sat down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, and he was examining the abandoned schoolwork splayed out on the tabletop.

"Is this… homework?" He asked, squinting slightly at a notebook.

"Yes" Pulling out the container of turkey as well as a tomato and some lettuce, she deposited her stack of ingredients on the counter before retrieving the bread and two plates.

"But… you said you don't go to school?"

"I don't." She swiftly answered as she set to work slicing up the tomato. "I take online classes."

"… Why couldn't I have done that?"

"Simple." Skylar finished up the two sandwiches and carried the plates over to the table. She retreated a final time to put away the extra foodstuffs and grab two bottles of water, finally sitting down across from him. "It was a near unanimous decision on the League's part that both you and M'Gann experience sufficient social interaction with peers your age… other than your teammates, in order to better adjust to living in human society."

Conner took a cautious bite, before apparently deeming the sandwich good enough. He carefully swallowed before continuing his line of questioning. "And you don't… have to? You're pretty…"

"Socially maladjusted? How sweet of you to say. Despite what you and our fellow young heroes believe, I'm not. I grew up perfectly normally on Thanagar and have received a sufficient amount of social interaction for a Thanagarian of my maturity, not to mention I'm already in a position where I have regular casual contact with civilians." She tapped the side of her head for emphasis. "Basically, we're wired different, which means I can get away with taking online classes."

"I guess that makes sense."

The two lapsed into a silence that was only slightly awkward, as they were both focusing primarily on eating. It wasn't until Skylar was gathering up the dishes and depositing them in the sink that Conner spoke to her again.

"Were you lying?"

The question gave Skylar pause, pausing halfway through rinsing off a plate before resuming the action. "Lying about what?"

"You said your name was Skylar Hall. At the park." Superboy clarified.

She couldn't help but let out a relieved huff of laughter. "No, I wasn't. Skylar Hall is my name, my human one at least. Feel free to call me as such, if you like. Just… not around the others." Noticing that she'd gotten some water on the hem of her shirt, she briefly debated going to change before opting to just leave it be.

"Skylar." He tested the name out aloud a few times, before apparently deeming it acceptable as she sat back down across from him. "It's… nice."

"Thank you. So, speaking of the park…"

Conner's expression immediately twisted into one of slight distaste. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair enough." Skylar put her hands up. "I just thought I'd give you the chance to if you wanted. I can only imagine how frustrated you must be."

The black haired teen remained silent, looking every bit the lost boy he really was. "… I was going to ask him about Krypton."

For a moment, she felt nothing but heartbreak on Conner's behalf, the sheer _disappointment_ in his voice almost too much to bear. Anyone who had ever claimed that a Thanagarian was heartless had never known one personally, as they cared for others just as deeply as most other species, they were just better at hiding it.

But this was one situation where _hiding_ wasn't going to do either of any good.

So that's why Skylar promptly took off her aviators, setting them innocuously onto the table. "I'm sorry, Conner."

Even though he clearly had no clue of exactly how important the action she just performed really was, Conner was still sufficiently taken aback at her newly bared face. Skylar found herself suddenly struck with an idea. "Come on, follow me."

Without another word, she stood up and headed deeper into the house, leaving her sunglasses on the table. She wouldn't be needing them anytime soon anyway.

Opening the door of her bedroom, she silently ushered her friend inside, going so far as to bodily move him to sit on her bed so he wouldn't awkwardly hover. His attention drifted around the room, to the posters on the walls, the lack of general clutter, what was very clearly a switchblade sitting semi-hidden in a pencil cup on her desk, and a sprawling bookshelf in the corner that also had a few knickknacks sitting on top.

Conner's eyes finally settled on a framed photograph sitting on her bedside table. "Is that Red Arrow?"

Skylar froze from where she had been opening the door of her closet, pushing away a nearly empty cardboard box towards the other side and opening up the space. "Yes." Thankfully, he managed to read her tone of voice enough to drop the subject immediately, to which she was grateful. This was about Conner's emotional wellbeing, not hers. Maybe later she would be willing to address the photo that had until very recently (meaning that morning) been hidden away in a desk drawer, literally hiding away the memories of a memorable first meeting and the friendship that unfurled thereafter. But once again, that was _not_ a can of worms she was willing to open up right now.

Moving aside a small framed Firefly poster, she revealed the handprint scanner sitting under it. Placing her hand on it, she cleared her throat before speaking in Thanagarian. _"Not all those who wander are lost."_

Her current password successfully input (she changed it at least once a month, and it was almost always a book, movie, or television quote in Thanagarian) she stepped off to the side as the back wall of the closet slid sideways, revealing the lit alcove behind it. Gleaming brightly from its stand was her signature armor, her mace stored alongside it with several Nth metal daggers and a few other artifacts, mostly for emergencies.

"There are similar compartments all around the house." Skylar said.

"That seems a little… overkill."

"My people have a saying, 'It's better to be paranoid than to have your throat slit in your sleep and your entrails hung in your enemies home for all to behold'." She replied immediately. "It sounds better in Thanagarian."

Bending down, she opened up a nondescript looking box, retrieving the item she'd been looking for. Closing everything up, including resealing the alcove, she sat down next to Conner on her bed, pulling her legs up into a cross-legged position.

In her hands was in short, the Thanagarian version of a tablet. Silver in hue, it was roughly eight inches long and two inches wide, bisected into two connecting halves. Grasping the sides, she pulled them apart in a quick snapping motion, and a screen of hard light materialized between the halves. After another second or two, the interface burst into life.

"What… is this?" Conner asked.

"Thanagarian tech." She started to explain. "It has a few different functions, but right now we only need the one." Tapping on a specific part of the screen, she pulled up what was essentially a compendium of all of the schoolwork and resources for the Thanagarian side of her education. After a quick search and some scrolling, she found exactly what she'd been looking for. Selecting a specific image, she used her thumb and index finger to zoom in so it filled the screen, and tilted it so Conner could see. "There."

Pinkish hued skies stretched over an alien landscape, jagged mountain ranges framing the horizon as sleek buildings only vaguely similar to any kind of Terran architecture jutted out from craggy rock.

"Is that…?"

"Krypton. Or at least how it was." Skylar explained.

"Are there… are there any more?"

She couldn't help but make a slight face. "Not as many as you're probably hoping." Exiting from the image, she showed off a few more embedded in the text, a few of the environment, a couple more of the major cities, and one of a science lab.

"Is this a textbook?"

"Sort of, yes." She answered. "Thanagarian education has a strong emphasis on foreign powers, especially ones that either are a threat or could pose _as_ a threat. Krypton was a highly respected power in the sciences before its destruction. Now, they're… well… my people see it as a cautionary tale that even the highest empires can fall in an instant." Seeing the slightly distressed look on Conner's face, she quickly backtracked. "A _gor'bax_ doesn't have an option to translate into other languages itself, but if you like I could write down the translation for you."

Conner looked up at her for the first time since she'd pulled out the device. "You'd do that?"

"If you'd like. It wouldn't be too much trouble on my part."

"Yes." He nodded eagerly. "I would. Please."

"Then I'll get on that as soon as possible." She promised, absolutely sincere. It really _wouldn't_ be that hard, though she'd probably have to tweak the wording here and there to sound less… hostile at points. Thanagarians didn't falsify information, but they did tend to… well, let's just say there's a genetic propensity for appreciation of acts of unbridled violence (even if said violence was the explosion of a planet).

"What's Thanagar like?"

The sudden subject change almost gave her mental whiplash, and she snapped the _gor'bax_ shut far harsher than was necessary. "Why do you want to know?"

He offered nothing more than a shrug. Well, she supposed if they were being _honest_ today, she could offer some information. "There's a lot more ocean for one. Our cities are all suspended above the planet's surface and pretty much everything is saturated with Nth metal."

Conner rose a brow in slight disbelief. "… Is that all you're going to tell me?"

"The sky is gray." Her mouth quirked up in a smirk before miming zipping her lips. Truthfully, she was fully capable of telling him more, but she'd shown him her _face_ today. That meant he was one of _two_ people on the Team that knew what she actually looked like, he should be complacent with getting as much information as he had already. "But if you wish to ask for any more wisdom on my part, please do so now."

Skylar was _definitely_ joking.

She wanted to stop all of this mushy emotional stuff _immediately_.

But she miscalculated.

She forgot that Conner didn't understand sarcasm very well yet.

Which meant he took her advice _seriously_.

She knew the moment he had come to a decision about asking her another personal question and braced herself.

"I think I like M'Gann."

Okay, that revelation didn't surprise her in the slightest. Those two had been dancing around each other for a while now and it was only a matter of time before it came to a head.

However, that didn't mean that _she_ wanted to be the one to deal with it. But considering she was probably the only person that Conner felt comfortable enough to talk to about it, she was willing to bite the bullet.

"Okay?" She prompted him to speak further, nudging his shoulder with her own.

"I'm… pretty sure she likes me back… the same way." He continued slowly, as if saying the words almost physically pained him. "I think we almost kissed?"

"Gross." At his glare, she put her hands up in a placating gesture. "Sorry, reflex. Please go on."

"I'm just not… really sure what I should do. Do you have any advice?"

"… I'm really not the _best_ person to ask about the matters of human courting." Skylar deadpanned. "Maybe you should ask Wally instead… Wait, no, that's a terrible idea. Robin? He's pretty good with people."

"I… think I'd just like to hear your advice first. What… What would… normal person do?"

Brow scrunching in thought, she tried to formulate a proper response. "Okay, if that's what you want, I'll try. My advice? Relax. Just take things one day at a time. And don't let people tell you what you _should_ want in this relationship. The two of you are… not to sound insensitive, but about as human as I am. Don't ask yourself what a normal person would want and how they would act, that's just going to hurt the both of you in the long run. As long as you're both on the same page and there's open communication, I'm sure whatever you two will have will work out fine."

The two were stuck in what was _definitely_ an awkward silence for a good minute or so, before Conner tentatively smiled at her. "Thanks. That was… surprisingly good… for you."

"You're welcome. For my payment, I demand we stop being emotionally vulnerably immediately."

"Done."

Of course, that's when the sound of the front door slamming shut startled both of them.

"SKYLAR HALL, YOU'D BETTER NOT BE HIDING A BOY IN YOUR ROOM!" Who could only be Shayera Hall, the fearsome Hawkwoman, hollered up the stairs.

Rolling her eyes, Skylar moved a little so she wouldn't shout directly in Conner's ear. "DA'MI, I _KNOW_ THAT YOU'RE WELL AWARE IT'S JUST CONNER!"

"I'M YOUR MOTHER, I'M _ALLOWED_ TO TORMENT YOU IN THIS WAY!"

"YOU'RE SCARING HIM!" Huffing, Skylar hopped off her bed. "Come on, _ka'zera_ , we'd better get downstairs."

Conner's mouth was pulled into a tight line, shoulders rigid and all traces of his relaxed demeanor long gone. "Are we in trouble?"

Skylar snorted. "Of course not. My mom thinks she's funny."

"EXCUSE YOU?! I _KNOW_ I'M FUNNY. CARTER, TELL OUR DAUGHTER I'M FUNNY!"

"YOUR MOTHER IS HILARIOUS!" Carter shouted obediently, though he was distinctly monotone.

"SEE?!"

"This is normal." Skylar assured Conner, herding him towards the stairs and back down into the living room. Her parents were already divested of their own jackets, wings on full display and winding down from a day at work.

"Have fun?" Carter asked.

"Mostly" She answered for the both of them, taking note of the scowl currently on Conner's face. "We talked a lot. Showed him some pictures of Krypton because a certain _someone_ is being a-"

"Oh, we know." Her father swiftly interrupted, frowning slightly. "Bats told us. Your mother's already had some words. Strong ones."

"Damn right I did." The redheaded matriarch of the Hall family agreed, crossing her arms. All of the joviality and teasing was gone from her personality, replaced with her standard stern persona as Hawkwoman. "At first, we were willing to cut him at least a little slack, considering he was cloned without his consent, but now it's just getting ridiculous."

Conner's eyes widened slightly. "You're… mad… at _him_?"

"Why wouldn't we be?"

Conner actually sputtered a little, prompting Skylar to clap him on the back. "See? This I why my parents are the _best_." Suddenly, she was struck with an idea. "We should all spar out on the beach. It's a nice day for it."

"That sounds like an _excellent_ idea." Shayera agreed immediately, cracking her knuckles and heading outside. "I need to work off a _significant_ amount of aggression."

Her parents were already out the door by the time Skylar realized Conner hadn't moved. "Oh no, you're not getting out of this." Snagging his arm, she pulled him out the door and towards the beach, where a thorough beat down was inevitable.

H

"Thank you, for today. It was… nice. At least, after you showed up." Conner admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

After they had finished the spar (where her parents had both been thrilled with the chance to test Conner's enhanced strength), Shayera had insisted he stay for dinner. During the course of the meal, he had been gently goaded into conversation, starting off with school, though it had evolved into intense discussions about Earth history when Conner displayed his near perfect recall. Needless to say, Conner had acquired a standing invitation to visit the Hall household.

And now here they both were, standing in an isolated part of St. Roch next to the Zeta access point, where Skylar had escorted him.

"I'm glad I could make your day at least a little better." Skylar replied. "And I'll get those translations to you soon."

In the span of a heartbeat, Conner had surged forward and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. It was a little awkward, but he had considerately _not_ crushed her wings to her back. Snaking her own arms around his waist, she returned the hug, not saying anything when she felt him smile into her shoulder. Drawing back, his face was slightly red, but she made no comment on it.

"Bye, Skylar" He said in farewell.

"Take care, _ka'zera_."

She waited just long enough to watch him disappear through the Zeta tube before she snapped out her wings and took to the sky.

Today could have been worse.

* * *

Note: Gor'bax (pronounced Gore-Bahsh)

And now, a glimpse into the author's inner monologue as she wrote this chapter

CADMUS: We made a clone of Superman!

Hawkgirl: You messed up a perfectly good boi is what you did. Look at him, he's got anxiety.

The next chapter will probably be a shorter one, just because it's a _very_ M'Gann and Superboy centric episode, so as compensation, you can expect another oneshot or two on Fight or Flight: Side Stories.

Hope you're all doing well and as always, comments, questions, and concerns are more than welcome!


	17. Advice, Training, Snowmen, and Shovels

Hello lovely people! Sorry that this chapter's a bit late, but at least you got some oneshots in the interim to tide you over. Despite this chapter technically being another episode, a majority of it is original content.

Without further ado, 'Terrors'. Or, at least, the tidbits of it that are relevant to Hawkgirl : )

Just before I was about to post this, I realized that with the addition of this chapter, Fight or Flight is officially over a hundred thousand words! I _never_ would have gotten this far without all of your support.

And we're not even halfway through season one. What have I brought upon myself?

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2010  
12:32 CDT

Having a debriefing in the middle of the day was certainly strange occurrence. Up until this point, they'd mostly ranged from the earliest parts of the morning into the latest part of the night. Non-standard hours were an occupational hazard for superheroes, after all.

This was also the first time that Superman himself was present.

Naturally, he avoided eye contact with Conner and remained uncharacteristically silent, allowing Batman to take the lead.

Hovering behind the Dark Knight was the holoscreen, which was currently displaying the mugshots of five familiar cold-themed ne'er-do-wells.

Alongside Hawkgirl were Miss Martian, Superboy, Aqualad, Martian Manhunter, and Red Tornado.

Once all of their attention was guaranteed, Batman began to speak. "This past Fourth of July, five ice villains staged simultaneous attacks. Mister Freeze, Icicle Jr., Killer Frost, Captain Cold, and the Snowman were all easily apprehended. Perhaps too easily."

Hawkgirl remembered that fight fondly, mostly because the altercation with the Snowman heralded the start of their false induction into the Hall of Justice and the debacle that led them into the labyrinthine headquarters of Cadmus.

"Cold, Snowman and Frost were immediately sent to Belle Reve penitentiary, a federal prison designed to house supercriminals. The Snowman escaped on route to the facility and is currently unaccounted for, but we cannot rule out possible involvement. The 17-year-old Icicle Jr. was sent to a juvenile facility, Mister Freeze to his usual cell in Arkham Asylum. But Freeze petitioned the court to be declared legally sane, and Junior sued to be tried as an adult. As a result, both await transport to Belle Reve, which seems to have been the goal all along." Batman paused, his gaze focusing on Miss Martian and Superboy. I'm sending the two of you in to find out why."

Aqualad immediately spoke up. "Who inside the prison will know their true identities?"

"No one. We can't be certain the prison staff isn't compromised."

Well, that was a little surprising. Usually on an infiltration mission like this, they'd have some kind of inside man providing aid. But if the prison itself truly _was_ compromised… well, that didn't bode well, considering the kinds of villains that were currently occupying it.

Batman outlined the rest of the plan (in turn revealing the reason for Superman's presence). Their teammates would be assuming the identities of two super powered siblings currently on a crime spree, and they'd be sent to Belle Reve in their place.

"But… And I don't want to sound pessimistic, but what if something goes wrong?" M'Gann asked cautiously, worrying her lip a little. "I mean, neither of us have really done anything like this before?"

"We are not going to leave you completely alone." Red Tornado answered, attempting to assuage the teen's reservations. "Aqualad and I will be stationed in the bio-ship concealed outside of the prison during the course of the operation. In the event that emergency backup is required, all of the Hawks will be on red alert."

"We can fly to Belle Reve from St. Roch in under half an hour." Ski'Lira offered nonchalantly. "Usually, we'd station ourselves closer just in case, but there's an arms deal going down dockside tonight. But I'm sure you'll both be fine."

Conner looked over at her. "You really think so?"

"Why wouldn't I?" She glanced out of the corner of her eye, a little happy to see the slight shift of Superman's posture that indicated his discomfort. "Anyways, just remember to be aware of your surroundings at all times. And if you get in a fight, win, and watch out for hidden weapons. If they get in close, they're probably trying to stab you."

"Thanks for the advice." M'Gann still sounded slightly sheepish. "How do you know that, though?"

"Standard Thanagarian social practices, why?"

She blinked a couple of times, thrown for a bit of a loop.

H

"Okay, okay, what _if_..." Wally flapped his hands around excitedly. "You held me by my ankles and _then_ I create a vortex underneath us! And then we'd shoot into the air!"

Ski'Lira considered it for a moment. "That is certainly a… _idea_. But you'd have to keep your body perfectly straight in order to prevent yourself from flipping yourself into me?"

The speedster deflated. "Oh, yeah, definitely don't want to do that. That's way too much work."

"Wait, I know you can carry Kaldur." Artemis interrupted. "But how many of us _can_ you carry?"

Hawkgirl took a moment to run a rough mental estimate. "I could definitely fly with all three of you easily. The problem would be the logistics of _how_."

Despite the fact that they _sounded_ like a bunch of fanboys fighting over what if scenarios, in truth, they were trying to come up with team maneuvers. With Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Superboy gone, Hawkgirl had proposed the training session with the remaining team members. She'd gotten a much more enthusiastic response than she'd been expecting.

Already they'd figured out that Hawkgirl could hold Artemis by her knees like a trapeze artist, so the archer could hang upside down and fire arrows as she was carried through the air. The archer's aim wasn't _perfect_ , because she was working with two hindering factors, but she promised she'd work on it so they could use it in battle.

Kid Flash and Robin had shown off their 'piggyback ride and birdarang throwing' maneuver that they'd developed some months prior, the small bird cackling madly as training targets exploded behind them while they zipped around the room.

Robin had also insisted on testing out the 'Fastball Special'. Ideally, it would be Superboy acting as the pitcher, but Hawkgirl was a great stand in, picking up the smaller boy by an arm and a leg and throwing him like a discus. He'd flipped through the air and landed safely on his feet, Kid Flash throwing up his arms and shouting "GOAL!" at the top of his lungs.

Okay, so maybe the 'training session' had devolved a little from the strict regimen she'd been expecting. But at this point, Hawkgirl was having too much fun to call the shenanigans to an end.

"Robin's pretty small, he could ride on your back." Artemis suggested. "And you could hold Wally and me with either arm."

"That could work." Hawkgirl admitted. "One part at a time. Robin?" She waited patiently until the black haired boy leapt at her back, locking his arms around her neck. His skinny body slotted between her wings, and a quick stretch confirmed that she still retained most of her mobility. "I'd recommend increasing your grip."

He complied shortly before she gave a powerful flap of her wings. Her hover was wobbly for a moment as she adjusted for the unusual weight distribution, but quickly smoothed it out. Once she was confident, she dropped her hands down.

"All right!" Wally cheered before jumping up towards her outstretched hand. Her fingers locked around his wrist just as Artemis caught her other hand. Once again, she had to take a moment to adjust, but soon enough, she was steadily balancing all three of her teammates.

"How are you doing?" Artemis asked, looking up at her with an amused expression on her face.

"I've never carried more than two people before, but this is proving an easy task." The Thanagarian pondered for a moment. "Most likely it is because Robin has the equivalent weight of a duck."

"Hey, I'm not a witch!" Robin immediately defended. She didn't have to look at him to know he had a wide grin on his face.

"You are." Hawkgirl deadpanned. "You turned me into a newt." She waited a beat. "I got better."

Wally proceeded to inhale a lungful of air (presumably as a precursor to a loud guffaw), but ended up choking on his own spit, but he still continued to laugh. It was only Hawkgirl's grip on him that kept him from falling to the ground, else he surely would have lost his grip and tumbled onto the unforgiving floor of the training room.

Artemis' laugh was a little more subdued, while Robin didn't even try to restrain her cackling. Deciding the exercise was over, Hawkgirl dropped two of her charges safely on the ground, doing a quick loop around the room and a barrel roll purely for Robin's benefit before she rejoined the others. Once her feet were safely back on the ground, he used her back like a springboard, executing a neat backflip.

Hawkgirl looked over her friends, all of whom had yet to regain their composure. "I think it's safe to say that we've all reached the limit of our productivity today."

H

"Okay, okay, _one_ boat I can understand. But _two_?" Artemis was just barely holding on, creeping on that edge between chuckling and full blown laughter. "Did he do it on _purpose_?"

"I think Twister was too focused on taking everyone else down." Robin mused. "There's no way he would have planned that… right?"

Everyone lapsed into a contemplative silence, which was only broken by the systematic crunching noise as Wally ate his way through a family size bag of Cool Ranch Doritos.

After the conclusion of their training session, they'd showered, dressed down, and regathered in the rec room to both relax and burn some time. Both Robin and Hawkgirl had hero obligations they had to tend to in a couple of hours, while Wally and Artemis had claimed homework. They decided to cherish the free time while they had it.

"Hey, Hawkgirl?" Artemis was the first to break the comfortable quiet that had settled over the group. "Will you tell us what Thanagar's like?"

The rapid shift in topic made Ski'Lira temporarily speechless. "… Why?"

"Because I don't know anything about it?" The blonde offered, as if it were obvious. "I mean, I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say that we know practically nothing about where you came from."

"I… suppose I can accept curiosity as an appropriate answer." But did she really want to tell them about her home? She could see the genuineness of her friend's intentions, as well as the eagerness from the two boys about the prospect. Ski'Lira knew she'd been tight lipped, only dropping occasional hints.

Telling Superboy small details about her planet had gone well, though she knew that most of his interest laid in her limited knowledge of Krypton.

And Roy had… mixed feelings. He used to enjoy her stories, but he was… well, his feelings about Thanagar had soured recently.

Dragging her train of thought away from that minefield, she thought about the people sitting in front of her, the members of her _kast_. And she decided that she was willing to give them a chance.

But there's no way that she'd pass up the opportunity to mess with them.

"Ask your questions, then."

"Wait, really?" Wally did a double take. "You'll just… answer whatever questions we want to ask?"

"That is how questions tend to work, yes. Though I insist on the right to refuse answering any question I deem fit."

"That's reasonable." Artemis nodded. "Alright, uh… I honestly didn't think you'd actually be open to interrogation, so… What's Thanagar like? I mean, as a whole. A society."

Considering the ideal response, the brunette was quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "There is… a sharp contrast between the wealthy and the poor, a very large divide that's plagued Thanagar for decades. As a result of severe overpopulation, food shortage is a dire problem, and riots are commonplace. There's such a great number of rioters that they're regularly picked up by police, and they are in turn transported to facilities where they are killed and their corpses are turned into a highly popular food substitute."

For the rest of her life, she would cherish the looks of sheer _horror_ on their faces. Artemis was nearly as green as her outfit, while Wally seemed to be reconsidering his decision to gorge himself on junk food. Even the usually unflappable Robin had a shocked expression on his face, and that was saying something, because he'd gone up against the Joker more than once.

"… Really?" Robin asked in a breathy voice.

Hawkgirl snorted. "Of course not. I just described the plot of Soylent Green, an invention of human fiction. How does that make you feel?"

"That was horrible." Artemis snapped, but she seemed to be fighting a smile, now that she'd realized that it was just a harmless joke.

"I apologize, but I could not resist." Settling back further into the couch, Hawkgirl pulled her legs up into a lotus position. "In truth, Thanagar is quite different from Earth, but not nearly as bad as you seem to assume. We are a warlike people, yes, but we are not savages. We still have laws which are followed strictly, we still have a reigning government body, and we still have mandatory education that is freely available."

"So, where did you grow up?" Wally asked. "I mean, not on Earth, obviously."

"It is called Hei'Thir." Ski'Lira began. "It is about the equivalent of what you'd refer to as a 'small town'."

Leaning forward with her elbows perched on her knees, Artemis' interest was thoroughly piqued. "What's it like?"

"Most cities and settlements on Thanagar are built atop and into floating islands that hover about the grey seas, and Hei'Thir is no exception. My parents were both born and raised in the great city of Thanaldar, the largest city on the planet, but since I was given to my Da'my, Maye and Tildi."

Wally interrupted before she could continue. "Wait, hold on, your parents didn't raise you?"

"Of course not, they were both in active service."

"So they just… left you?"

Hawkgirl suddenly understood. "Ah, I see the problem. It is a cultural difference. Since such a high number of the population of our people are military, it isn't uncommon for those unwilling or unable to leave active service to leave their offspring with family or friends until they reach a more manageable age. Thus, I was left with my maternal aunt Maye and her wife Tildi." As if suddenly gifted with a second's worth of psychic ability, she answered the next question before it came. "Yes, on Thanagar there are no limitations to which gender can marry which. Any other inquiries you'd like to make?"

"So many…" Wally flopped back. "So, you said most Thanagarians are military, and that there's mandatory education. Does that mean you guys are basically brought up like soldiers?"

Waggling a hand in a so-so gesture, Ski'Lira tipped her head slightly to the side. "Yes and no. Combat training is mandatory, mostly because battle is in our blood, and having a slew of untrained weapons running around as they please is… dangerous for all involved. But training does not start until after the first molt."

"Molt? Like… like _actual birds_?" Stifling his laughter with a hand, Wally averted his eyes from her heated glare. "I'm not laughing at you, I promise. It's just… it's just the mental image of a bunch of featherless Thanagarians…"

She supposed she could see the humor in it, at least from the perspective of someone who'd never experienced a molt before. Instead of causing him bodily harm, she merely hummed in agreement.

"Anyway, as I was _saying_." She brought the topic of conversation back to the initial query. "Education begins at age five, where we learn the basics just as you do here. However, since I was always destined to come here, I had a supplementary education. During the day I would attend class at the pavilion with my peers, and in the evenings I would learn about Earth. As for Thanagarian education, you partake up until you reach adulthood, and then you are admitted into the Academy, and that is where military training begins."

"And how long does that last?" Robin asked.

"It depends on which branch you enter. The average is around a year."

"Huh" Artemis had a pensive expression on her face. "I mean, I knew you were all… well…"

"Bloodthirsty? Driven by the prospect of the glory of combat? Superior to humans in every conceivable way?"

That earned her a good-natured shove from the archer. "The first two, yes. I just meant, I never knew Thanagar was so… structured."

"I will take that as a compliment. I… must admit, I did not expect you all to be so… eager to learn about my home. Perhaps from now on I will be more open to answering your questions. And… maybe next time I can show you some pictures?"

"Asterous." Robin sent a bright grin her way that she couldn't help but return.

H

Taking down the arms dealers had been easy, but it was a long process. They had to lie in wait for hours waiting for the ship to come into the harbor, dock, and then for the perpetrators to make an appearance and start moving their cargo. There had been significantly more of them than intel had suggested, and _all_ of them were heavily armed, which meant the three Hawks had to resort to stealth, which meant the operation took even longer.

After noticing her stifling a yawn, her mother had sent her off, claiming that she and Katar could oversee cleanup and help the police with transport just as easily by themselves. Taking the reprieve, Hawkgirl took to the air and flew towards home.

Sticking to the coastline of St. Roch, Hawkgirl cherished the moment of respite while she had it, knowing that she was still on deck for her teammates' undercover op. As she swooped down lower to catch onto an air current, her eyes locked onto a bright spot of light on the beach below. Bringing herself to a hover, she focused her gaze on the source. There was a small fire burning on the beach, with a handful of drunk humans surrounding it. Judging by the demeanor and appearance, they were all college students.

Usually, she would have merely let them be, allowing the cops to take care of it when they were inevitably called due to their disorderly conduct. _However_ , a couple of the young men were having some sort of makeshift contest to see who could throw empty beer bottles furthest into the ocean, while their male and female companions loudly cheered them on.

As silently as she could manage, she dropped into a dive, snapping out her wings just before she hit the ground, landing directly in front of them. She snapped up an arm just in time to block a beer bottle that would have hit her straight in the face. As it was, the bottle shattered against her gauntlet, and the errant pieces of glass bounced harmlessly off her helmet.

"Stop that." She growled.

"You can't tell us what to-!" One of the boys tried to swagger forward, only to trip and land face first into the shallow water. Rolling her eyes, Ski'Lira picked him up by the scruff and dragged his face out of the water, tossing him onto the sand near his friends.

"We'll stop Hawkgirl." The other boy was bobbing his head so hard she wouldn't be surprised if it flew off. "We promise."

"Good."

Satisfied that she'd instilled enough fear into them that they'd reconsider littering from this point onward, but at the very least, they'd stopped their stupid game for the night.

Just as she was about to take off again, her eyes alit on something further down the beach from the group of teens. Flying the short distance over, recognized the familiar shape of a sewer drainage pipe, about four feet across. Judging by its condition and location, it was probably part of the disused sewer pipes that had been merely cut off from the newer system and left alone once the city had upgraded to non-lead lined piping. In an attempt to keep out interlopers, inch thick metal bars had been fastened over the front.

But apparently they hadn't been strong enough to keep out whatever had torn them apart like they were putty. Inspecting the twisted metal, Hawkgirl noticed streaks of dark brown that seemed out of place. A quick sniff confirmed her initial hunch. Dried blood.

From where she was standing, she could see a few more streaks further into the pipe.

Hawkgirl blew out a long breath as she realized that her downtime had been cut short when it had barely begun. Bringing a hand to her ear, she activated her comm unit to contact her parents. "I got waylaid on my way back home. I think I've got a possible lead on a new case."

" _Already? That was fast."_ Katar grumbled. _"Be careful, and keep us updated. Good hunting."_

"You too." Shutting off the channel, she cracked her neck from side to side. She just _knew_ she was going to regret this.

Ten minutes of being confined in the sewer later, and she had proven herself completely right. The pipes were spacious enough, but not nearly as much as she _wanted_ them to be. They were big enough that she could stretch out her arms and lay her hands flat on either side, but her wings were confined in close to her body. Her neck was probably going to be killing her tomorrow from all the craning she was doing, not to mention the instinctual terror she was near constantly beating into the back of her conscious with a large theoretical stick.

On the bright side, the close quarters meant that whatever she was tracking had left ample evidence to follow, rusty stains marring the brick and concrete and giving her a crystal clear trail. Eventually, the tunnels expanded so she could stand up straight, but the water level had also risen to her knees.

Just as she was considering turning back, she heard a foreign noise up ahead. Her resolve was bolstered at the prospect of locating the mysterious entity bleeding out in the sewers. Mace in hand, she slowed her pace until she came to a corner, plastering herself to one edge and cautiously peeking around it.

At first, all she could make out was a light colored mass half-submerged in the water. On closer inspection, the mass was far from smooth, covered in soaking wet fur marred by weeping holes, blood trickling down into the water. Hawkgirl suddenly realized exactly what, or rather _who_ , it was that she was looking at.

Drawing her head back, Hawkgirl retreated a good forty feet back down the tunnel, dropping her voice down to a whisper and switching over to Thanagarian (just in case). _"Da'mi, Ta'me"_ She began, comm unit activated. _"Good news, I've successfully located the Snowman. Bad news, I think someone else got to him first."_ She waited a moment, but there was no reply.

" _Da'mi, Ta'me, come in."_

Nothing, just static.

Growling under her breath, she silently cursed the people who constructed the _lead-lined_ pipes. It looked like she was on her own for this one. The last time she had fought Snowman, both of her parents were with her, and even then it had been a tough fight. But since he was heavily injured, she hoped that would offer enough of an edge that she could take him down single-handedly.

Sliding her mace into her hand, she straightened her spine and walked confidently around the corner, stalking up to the unmoving form of the Snowman without fear. Maneuvering around his body (as the width of the dead end tunnel he'd crawled into only left a couple of feet of space all around him between himself and the wall), she stopped at his head. The twisted, sasquatch-esque visage was propped out of the water by a small pile of debris, his inhuman eyes closed. The only indications of his survival from whatever had attacked him was the shallow movement of his chest and his weak heartbeat, only perceived thanks to her sensitive hearing.

Hawkgirl reached down towards him, wrapping a hand around his upper arm, preparing to drag him out of the sewer. But the moment her fingers made contact with the coarse and grimy fur, the Snowman's eyes snapped open.

She only had time for her eyes to widen in surprise before a meaty fist slammed into her chest, rocketing her backwards into the stonework behind her.

Thankfully, the majority of the impact was absorbed by her armor, which meant no broken ribs for her. The Snowman's injuries played into her favor at that moment, as while he took the time to shamble up into a standing position, she darted around him and out of the dead end, retreating back into the tunnel. The last thing she wanted was to get trapped where she couldn't maneuver.

She gave a second thought to the confines of the tunnel. Okay, _more_ trapped than she already was. Her current situation was less than ideal, that was for sure.

Shoulders hunched over to fit, The Snowman locked his eyes on her before dropping his jaw and letting out a bellowing shout. Clamping her hands over her ears in an effort to block out the thundering noise, Ski'Lira gritted her teeth before answering with a war cry of her own, getting in close and swinging her mace straight for his knee before lurching backwards.

Ears still ringing, Ski'Lira opted for a strategic retreat, spinning around and sprinting away from the Snowman. Her movement was slowed thanks to the water sloshing around her legs, and keeping balance on the slippery bricks below her feet was a challenge. Following far to close behind her was the Snowman, who had seemingly no concern for his wellbeing anymore, as he paid no mind to the reopening of his wounds as he tore after her. His shoulders and biceps periodically scraped against the brick on either side of him, tearing off fur and exposing the sickly skin beneath as he went, but there was no hesitation in his eyes.

The Snowman had always been less than… cognizant, whenever he went into his rages. But this was something else. This was a wounded predator chasing down a perceived threat.

Hawkgirl didn't realize she'd turned down the wrong tunnel in her panic until she noticed the lack of bloodstains marring the walls, and shortly after emerged into a large cistern. Mentally cursing herself for making such a foolish mistake, she quickly took in her surroundings. The other end of the large cavern was half caved in, presumably where there had formerly been another exit. That meant that the only way out was back the way she came, which meant she had to get past the Snowman.

Letting out another echoing roar, Hawkgirl pulled her wings in tight and dodged off to the side. But her booted foot caught on a small pile of loose stones beneath her feet, and her dodge turned more into a lurch. She ended up sprawled halfway on her side, partly submerged.

The Snowman's large hand shot out towards her, grabbing her around the torso and flinging her up and out of the water. Hawkgirl ended up hitting the opposite wall, the back of her helmet punching through the crumbling brick and surely leaving on imprint. Letting herself go limp, she rolled forward (careful to hold her breath for the brief moment her head was underwater), springing back up to her feet.

Gritting her teeth, Hawkgirl realized that dexterity and agility weren't going to be her friends here. The Snowman was too unpredictable right now, and she knew that even _Robin_ would have difficulty keeping balanced in this watery terrain.

That just left brute strength.

Shifting her mace so that it was in both hands, she dug her heels down into the ground beneath her feet.

His hands curling into fists, the Snowman took up her challenge, charging straight towards her.

She waited for one heartbeat.

Then two.

Then three, her opponent's massive form barreling towards her showing no sign of slowing.

Just before the fourth heartbeat, a screech left Hawkgirl's mouth as she swung her mace full force up into his face. She distinctly felt a muscle in her shoulder tear, and one of her ankles was very nearly twisted as it slipped further into the stone below her, but any pain she experienced was short lived in the face of her success.

The Snowman was _definitely_ knocked out cold the moment that her mace made contact, but her hit sent him flying back diagonally, his head striking the ceiling and raining down debris that dropped straight onto him. Unconscious, the man beast dropped back into the water.

Blowing out a breath, she quickly made her way over to him, snagging the longer hair on top of his head and pulling up, so as to keep him from drowning. He was still very much alive, but he'd definitely need medical attention soon if she wanted him to stay that way.

Hawkgirl had two options here. Go for backup, or take him out of here herself.

The former was problematic, as he was still bleeding out, and his condition would definitely worsen the longer he was left untreated.

That just left the latter. Not to mention, that plan also meant she didn't have to stay in these infuriating confines any longer than was necessary.

Activating the secondary mode of her mace, she used the long Nth metal chain as makeshift restraints, tying his hands together behind his back before looping the thin chain back around his shoulders and torso. Keeping hold of the handle, she added a few extra loops around her waist, and she started to walk. A quick glance behind her confirmed that Snowman's head was still safely out of the water, and she started the long trek dragging the previously missing supervillain out of the sewers.

H

Blinking a few times, Hawkgirl readjusted her vision to compensate as she emerged from the pitch black tunnel system to the clear, starry night that awaited her. She also took in a few deep lungfuls of air, feeling the lingering dregs of panic finally leaving her mind space.

Mere moments after she dropped the Snowman onto the beach and began the process of reclaiming her mace, her vision was suddenly plagued by a flurry of golden Nth metal, feathers, and glowing green light.

" _Ski'Lira Hol, you'd better have a damn good explanation for this!"_ Hawkwoman demanded in their native language, mouth set in a scowl (or rather, a more severe scowl than was normal).

Hawkgirl looked past her mother, where Hal Jordan and her father were hovering over the Snowman. _"… I can explain."_

H

" _You were only away for what, four hours? And you already got yourself in trouble with the League."_ Dick's bared face was smug, blue eyes glittering with amusement, purely at her expense of course.

"Technically I'm not in trouble." Skylar corrected, leaning back in her chair. She was already starting to regret answering her friend's Skype call, and it had started a mere fifteen seconds ago. "Since I was in a communication dead zone, the blame mostly fell to circumstance, and when I pointed out that Snowman needed medical attention…"

Dick snorted. _"You should count yourself lucky. Seriously. When your parents sent out the all clear, Bats was practically at the Zeta Tube to St. Roch. Which means you're probably going to have to make that up to him in training."_

Sighing, Skylar realized he was probably right about that. It's not like she _intended_ to send her parents into a panic when her comm went dark, thus prompting them to send out an SOS to the entire League.

She'd already gotten three separate lectures, one from each parent, and one from Hal, and there was no doubt she'd probably receive at least two more before the matter was dropped.

" _But hey, look on the bright side, you managed to track down the Snowman."_ Dick pointed out.

"It was a fortuitous coincidence." Skylar immediately agreed. "But I must admit, I find myself wondering who exactly _put_ him in that state."

" _Do… do you think that whoever did that to him were the same ones organizing all the cold villains?"_

"At this juncture, I wouldn't rule it out, but at this point speculating is useless."

" _I wouldn't say useless."_

"I just meant-" She cut herself off as her phone buzzed harshly on the desktop. Grabbing it, she couldn't help her slight wince, as she had mistakenly used her still-injured shoulder. Seeing a notification from Conner, her brow furrowed.

 _Conner: I think M'Gann and I are dating?_

 _Conner: We kissed._

 _Conner: Yeah, I'm pretty sure we're dating._

" _Okay, whatever you just read must be intense if it broke your legendary poker face."_ Dick interrupted, bringing her attention back to him. _"Spill it, Sky."_

"It's from Conner." She began. "It seems like he and M'Gann finally admitted their feelings for each other."

" _FINALLY! It took them long enough!"_

Skylar let out a hum of agreement as she tapped out a message of congratulations to the half-Kryptonian. Once it had been sent off, she set her phone back down. "I believe this means that Operation Shovel Talk is now active."

" _I'm still not sure if we should…"_

"Dick." Skylar interrupted before he could spiral any further into doubt. "Conner's is most definitely going to be receiving a shovel talk from J'onn. And who else would act in our place on Conner's behalf?"

"… _Okay, two very good points. But I think we should come up with the speech beforehand, you know, as a team. Mostly because I'm afraid you'll go overboard. Scratch that, I_ know _you'll go overboard."_

"Threats are an art, Dick. And such an occasion only deserves the finest of verbal warnings."

" _Okay, okay. Let's just start brainstorming, and we'll move on from there."_

* * *

Remember the Snowman from chapter one? Because I barely didn't! Originally, I was just gonna casually shove him in a corner, but then I had the idea of adding in Hawkgirl's little adventure in the sewers.

Also, I couldn't resist poking fun at Superboy for the boat incident again. It just never ceases to amuse me.

Also (also), did you like the tidbits of Thanagar?

Also Cubed, Hawkgirl, champion of the environment. Not only does she have to _fly_ in those skies that keep getting polluted, she just really likes the ocean. (And it's definitely not just because of the sharks, what are you talking about, definitely not *shifty eyes*.)

Next time on Fight or Flight… Homefront

Hope you're all doing well!


	18. Home Invasions and Hard Truths

Hello lovelies! How are you doing this fine day? I think this is the first time I've updated the main story at a reasonable time (AKA two o'clock in the morning, because sleep is for the weak) in a while. Let me tell you, this chapter kinda kicked my ass. You know how sometimes you have an image in your head of how you want something to go, but then you can't quite manage to get it just right on paper? Like when you want to draw a beautifully realistic horse and it ends up looking like a mistake of nature? Long story short, my outline for this chapter underwent a few rewrites until it became something I'm happy with.

To answer a question from **TheShapeshifter100** , as of right now, I haven't seen any of season three yet. At this point, I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this story past season two, but that's a very, very long way off : ).

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2010  
18:43 EDT

Ski'Lira prided herself on her impeccable spatial awareness and alertness, always prepared to act at any moment. Her enhanced senses easily allowed her to keep track of any threats that could cause her potential harm and react accordingly.

However, that point was moot if she had earbuds crammed in her ears and the volume turned up has high as she could manage.

The actual choice of music didn't matter to her (she'd just hit shuffle and hoped for the best), as she just wanted sheer noise to drown out the world around her, opting to maintain her focus on the copy of The Count of Monte Cristo currently in her hands. She had removed her clawed gauntlets and set them on the countertop in order to avoid ripping the pages.

The reason for her disconnect from the world around her?

The two besotted teens currently making out in the hangar.

She'd heard _one_ giggle from M'Gann and decided she'd had enough, confining herself to the kitchen until it was time for the team's rendezvous in half an hour for training.

A flicker of yellow and red movement caught her attention from her peripheral vision, and a glance up confirmed the presence of Wally. He was zipping around the kitchen, gathering ingredients for a sandwich that he prepared in a few seconds. Once it was completed, he casually sauntered over to her with his sandwich held loosely in his grip, snagging the spine of her book in his free hand.

She saw his lips move as he lifted the book up. "Count of Monte Cristo huh? Saw the movie, haven't read the book. Is it any good?"

Ski'Lira provided an answer in the form of snapping the book shut harshly on his fingers, forcing him to flinch back. "Okay, okay, I get it. You want to be left _alone_. I can take a hint. I'll leave you to your reading. Guess I'll go see what Conner and M'Gann are up to."

As he walked out of the kitchen (neglecting his superspeed, most likely solely for the fact that he wanted to keep his precious sandwich intact).

She briefly debated with herself for a moment, between delaying him, attempting to warn the occupied couple, or doing nothing.

She opted for the third option.

There's no way that neither M'Gann nor Conner would be able to miss his arrival, especially with the speedster's tendency to loudly announce his presence whenever he walked into a room.

So instead, she settled back down in her chair and lost herself once more in the written word.

H

Just as she reached the start of the prison escape, she felt a tremor pass through the mountain. Tearing out her earbuds and tossing her book carelessly onto the counter top, she snapped her gauntlets back on as she tried to figure out the source of the commotion. Hearing the shocked cries of her teammates, she quickly realized that whatever had happened, had occurred in the hangar.

Flaring out her wings, she took to the air to speed through the hallways, and burst out into a battlefield. Water had flooded the cavern, no doubt the source of the initial tremor, and she managed to find Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Kid Flash within the chaos. However, the clear interlopers and cause of the newfound destruction gave her pause.

Two sleek androids, molded in bright red metal with expressionless faces, one vaguely male and the other vaguely female. The male was clearly controlling the water, while the female had wreathed herself in flame, creating faux hair out of fire.

She'd taken in all of that information in the span of a heartbeat.

And that's all the time she had before she was blindsided by a wave of water. The torrent tugged at her wings, forcing her down to the ground before dissipating, leaving her disoriented and soaking wet on the concrete floor of the hangar. At that point, she completely lost track of her friends, and she shook her head to clear it and focus back on the matter at hand.

Feeling a searing heat approaching rapidly, she ducked and rolled out of the way as a massive gout of flame scorched the floor where she had previously been. Thanagarians were more resistant to extreme heat, yes, but that didn't mean they were _fireproof_.

Dodging another blast, she took cover behind a solid platform, only to come face to face with Aqualad.

"How the _hell_ did they get in here?!" She hissed.

Kaldur looked at her helplessly. "I do not know. I- MOVE!"

His warning came just in time, and she tucked in her wings and dropped down to the ground, executing another neat roll as a fireball slammed into the wall behind her. Aqualad was not so lucky, dropping to the ground like a sack of bricks.

"The Atlantean has been eliminated." The female android intoned from somewhere.

"Place him with the Martian." Her companion ordered from _very_ close by, definitely within striking distance.

She'd barely gotten her hand on her mace before she was hit with _another_ wave of water, this one far more targeted. The water around her started to spin in a vortex, making it impossible for her to gain purchase on anything or try to escape the watery trap, and she lost her grip on her weapon in the process, the handle slipping out of her fingers (which was far from an easy feat, considering the death grip she usually kept on it).

In a vain attempt to fight back against her captor, she forced her arms forward and lashed out with her clawed gauntlets. She felt a flare of pride as she felt the tips catch on something, barely able to see a distorted red shape hovering in front of her. Sinking the talons in as deep as she could manage, she started to tear back, hearing a distinct screech of metal and feeling it peel away under her fingertips.

Apparently her opponent didn't like that, because he only increased the pressure of the water around her, which was _not_ a pleasant sensation, especially considering she was running out of air by this point.

When she was finally dropped out of the water, vision slightly faded from oxygen deprivation and spatial disorientation, she felt herself being propped upright as heat almost started to pour down around her.

Blinking the last of the dots out of her vision, she was shocked to see herself completely immobilized, molten metal twisted around her body and quickly cooled, an efficient manner of making tailored restraints. And she wasn't alone. Both Kid Flash and Superboy were in near identical prisons next to her.

"You okay, Hawkgirl?" Kid Flash asked with gritted teeth, visibly straining against his confines. Ski'Lira was relieved to see that none of the superheated metal had touched Wally's skin, confined to his suit, which was built to resist vast amounts of heat.

"I'd be _happier_ if I'd actually managed to tear at least one of them apart." She growled, shooting a glare at the marred water android (bearing two sets of claw marks, one on his right shoulder and the other in the middle of his chest), who looked as unimpressed as before. Reflexively, she reached for her mace, but there were two obstacles preventing it. One, her hands were both sealed within the prison. And two, her mace was currently embedded in the wall next to Sphere. She had no idea when or how that had happened, but she wasn't happy about it.

Tugging on each limb individually, she found she was well and truly stuck. All four of her limbs completely immobilized, and her wings almost glued to her back. That was definitely going to be painful eventually.

And from all evidence, as she watched the fire being create a flaming cage around the resident Atlantean and Martian, it looked like they'd be _reaching_ eventually here.

Because they were well and truly trapped.

And Ski'Lira was weaponless and defenseless… in a confined space… without a single viable source of escape in sight… and on top of that, they were underground.

She'd hadn't thought it was possible for today to get any worse. How naïve she'd been.

H

GOTHAM CITY  
SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2010  
21:35 EDT

Dick had been waiting for this moment _all day_. He'd even planned his exact words for the next time he saw Artemis, especially since he knew exactly where she'd be. And just like he predicted, when night fell, a suited up Artemis appeared at the mouth of the alley bearing the Gotham Zeta Access Point. Dropping down silently from the fire escape he'd been crouched on, he straightened and stepped out from the shadow of the "phone booth".

"Artemis?" Robin said, unable to keep a smile off of his face.

The blonde immediately whipped around, grey eyes wide. "Robin? I, uh-"

"How random that you're in Gotham City instead of Star City where your _uncle_ Green Arrow lives!"

"I'm, uh… here to see my cousin!" He had to give Artemis props for the speed with which she came up with a believable cover story. "She was in the state spelling bee. Here. In Gotham City."

"C-O-O-L." He spelled aloud. "Did she W-I-N?"

Like the flip of a switch, the archer's nervousness was replaced with irritation. "N-O."

"D-R-A-G."

"Yeah." Artemis crossed her arms, clearly unwilling to continue with the charade any longer than she had to. "Let's just go to the cave."

Giving an eccentric bow, he gestured to the doors of the phone booth. "Ladies first."

That earned him a raised eyebrow as Artemis put her hands on her hips. "Your town, you go."

Internally, Robin admitted that was well played. Straightening, he headed inside, closing the shutter doors behind him as the Zeta Tube activated. The familiar voice of the computer system intoned around him. _"Recognized: Robin, B01"_

The moment that his body materialized in the Cave he was hit with an intrinsic sense of _wrong_. If his instincts screaming at him weren't enough, then the choking smoke filling the Hub and the unnatural heat certainly provided sufficient confirmation.

" _Recognized: Artemis, B08"_

"Get down!" Robin shouted as he saw a fireball aimed straight at the entrance (and ergo, his teammate), leaping out of the smoke and to Artemis' side, throwing a couple of batarangs at the unseen assailant.

Following his lead, Artemis blindly fired arrows at the source of the fireball. The black haired teen paused briefly when he heard one of his projectiles actually connect, creating a harsh ringing sound as it struck metal. That did _not_ bode well.

He had very little time to consider that new revelation as a massive gout of fire forced them to drop to the ground to avoid being toasted. Scrambling to his feet, Robin saw not one, but _two_ blurry silhouettes only vaguely visible through the haze of smoke.

"Who are we fighting?" Artemis demanded, though if she was asking him or them, he didn't know for sure.

"Don't know." He answered anyway. "But we're sitting ducks by these tubes. Head for the exit." Without further preamble, he ran for the nearest hallway, hoping Artemis would follow. He was relieved to hear the sound of her footsteps behind him. They ducked under yet another fire attack as they made it to the hallway, and Robin felt a rush a relief as they escaped the near-choking heat.

Naturally, that's when a wave of water that _definitely_ didn't belong in the hallway appeared. "Or not." Robin deadpanned.

Turning, they attempted to escape the watery onslaught, but were swept up before they could make it more than a few feet forward. Feeling his back slamming up against the wall, Robin made sure to keep his mouth shut, though it proved futile as the water dissipated, depositing them onto the ground (which was now coated in a good two inches of water). Artemis managed to scoop up her fallen bow just as they were assaulted with more fire, both of them retreating further into the hallways.

Robin felt slightly safer when they made it into the exercise room, the doors sliding shut behind them, but he knew better than to drop his guard. At most, the barrier would buy them half a minute. But it was still more time than they had before. Activating his comm unit, he kept pace with Artemis as he called desperately for backup.

"Robin to Team. Come in! Aqualad! Hawkgirl!" His growl of frustration at the lack of answer was swallowed up by the explosion of the door behind them, sending them sprawling to the ground from the concussive force. Picking themselves back up, they hurried forward as flames licked at their back. A brief glance over his shoulder confirmed the cause as a swirling vortex of fire.

Ducking around a corner, they ended up in the locker rooms, and Robin made a beeline for the largest of the three sets of shower rooms, both the largest and the only one without privacy cubicles. Robin started turning knobs as he saw them, Artemis copying his actions on the other side of the room. It wasn't much, but hopefully it would be enough to protect them from the pursuing fiery vortex.

"Robin to Batcave, override RG4." He snapped out, trying another comm line. "Cave calling Justice League. HOJ slash Watchtower B01. Priority Red." He paused, confirming the lack of response. "Comm is down. Locked." Retreating to the center of the room, he glanced over at Artemis, whose eyes were starting to look a little wild. "At least the water's helping."

His attempt to reassure her at least a little was ruined as the pipes started to groan ominously.

One by one, metal water fixtures exploded off the walls and their connective piping, the room flooding around them.

"Or not."

When the water reached the ceiling, Robin reached into his belt to retrieve an explosive, swimming over to one of the tiled walls. A few seconds later, the wall was blown outwards, the cascade of water taking both himself and Artemis with it as it poured into an empty hallway. They allowed themselves a single moment to gather their wits about them and get their breath back before they started running again.

Robin skidded to a halt as they appeared at the entrance to the kitchen. "We need to get lost." Frantically looking for a viable escape route, his attention was briefly caught by an open book and Hawkgirl's music player lying untouched on the counter. But that was something to consider for later.

"The air vent!" Artemis cried, eyes locked on the ventilation system above the stove.

"Good, go!" While she ran towards their new exit, Robin instead headed to a mainframe access point near the door, activating his hologlove and connecting to the system.

"What are you-?!"

"Downloading Cave blueprints." He explained quickly. Honestly, he had no idea why he didn't think about getting the map sooner. In all fairness, the Cave was supposed to be _safe_. "Could come in-" Robin stopped himself as he heard the distinct sound of approaching footsteps coming from far closer than he'd like. "Go, go!"

Tearing across the room, he leapt up into the newly opened shaft, crawling up and then forwards into the confined space. Bringing up an arm, he pulled up the newly downloaded map on his holoscreen. "Go left." He directed.

He'd barely turned the corner when flame filled the tube they were just in, nearly from end to end. "Too close." He muttered before getting back to business. "Take the first right. There should be a vent cover right in front of you."

Artemis found the grate in question, taking it off and sliding down the tube first, Robin close behind. They both dropped out of the vent and onto a metal catwalk mere seconds apart. Pulling up his map again, he confirmed their location. "This way." Running down the set of stairs to their left, he led the way down to the ground floor, which was a maze of machinery.

A loud clanging noise caught his attention, as a lone figure dropped from the vent they'd previously vacated, wreathed in flame. As they stood, the flames increased, creating a mushroom cloud-shaped blaze that erupted outwards. The entirety of the ceiling vanished under flickering orange and yellow light. The duo ducked between two large metal machines, one of which bore a readout that turned an alarming shade of red shortly before beeping loudly and erupting with sparks.

"That's not good." Robin wasn't sure of the exact purpose of the machine, but he had some inkling, and it definitely didn't bode well. The Cave would definitely need some serious repairs after this disaster.

They forced to start running once more, this time with the added element of dodging eruptions of steam from bursting pipes, along with fiery potshots from their pursuer that always came just a little too close for comfort. Hiding around a corner, Robin consulted the map, eyes scanning quickly. "I know that other access tunnel is here somewhere."

"You mean this one?" His gaze snapped up to Artemis, who was standing over an open grate, which she promptly jumped down. Pausing just long enough to leave an explosive for their new "friend" behind, he bolted for the opening and dropped down.

Once they'd gotten fair distance down the cramped circular tunnel, Robin called for a halt. "Hold on." With a birdarang, he popped open an access panel, plugging his hologlove in directly. "Locking out the Cave's motion and heat sensors to prevent the enemy from tracking us." He explained.

"And I ask again, who _is_ the enemy?" Artemis was crouched close by, face illuminated in eerie blue light.

Robin smirked at her before turning his attention back to the screen, typing quickly. "Let's find out. Downloading Cave security footage… There." An old feed from the hangar appeared onscreen, where Conner, M'Gann, Kaldur, Wally, and Sphere were gathered around Superboy's bike. Hawkgirl was nowhere to be seen.

Kid Flash was crouched on the ground beside the bike. _"Torque wrench."_ He held out his hand expectantly as M'Gann used her telekinesis to float one over into his grasp. _"Thank you, green cheeks."_

" _I have been meaning to ask."_ Aqualad spoke up. _"Any problems juggling schoolwork with your responsibilities here?"_

" _No."_ Conner answered swiftly.

" _Juggling's just one of my many talents."_ Wally joked. _"Socket wrench."_ The tool in question was sent his way.

" _Daily cheerleading practice has presented a challenge."_ M'Gann admitted, but quickly backtracked. _"Oh, but my first loyalty is always to the team. This team! Not the Bumblebees."_

" _Artemis starts school today. Do you think she will have trouble maintaining her loyalties?"_ Aqualad sounded slightly stilted in his speech, but no one seemed to notice.

" _Nah, she'll manage all right."_ Wally insisted. _"I mean, how much more hostile and annoying can_ –"

His words were cut short as a sudden explosion obscured the camera, registering the surprised cries of several of their friends before the feed fizzled completely.

"What happened?" Artemis demanded.

"Explosion took out the camera. I'll find another angle."

The new angle did little to assuage their fears, as they watched their teammates pounded by powerful water attacks, all of the cameras breaking before they could see the conclusion.

Robin let out a short sigh. "That's it. All four are dead." Seeing the horrified look on Artemis' face as he realized the possible misconception of his statement, he clarified. "The cameras. I meant the cameras. I'm sure the others are okay."

"What about Hawkgirl? She was here, right?"

"Yeah…" He agreed. "I think she was in the kitchen when the attack happened." He found the relevant feed.

Hawkgirl was sitting at the counter, reading quietly, and earbuds in her ears. They watched as her head suddenly snapped up and she shifted seamlessly into battle mode, replacing her gauntlets and flying out through the hallway. He managed to track her up until the point she reached the blindspot in the hangar.

"Whoever they are, they definitely have her too." Honestly, he'd really been hoping that Skylar had managed to hole herself up somewhere in the Cave, but it looked like that was a false hope. He didn't dwell on that, instead refocusing on the matter at hand. "Just give me a sec to find the fastest route to the hangar.

Artemis leaned against the wall, curling up into a ball. "Yeah, they're fine. They've all got superpowers. They can handle anything."

H

After perusing the Cave blueprints for a few minutes, Robin had found a viable option to traverse the Cave, a secret tunnel that ran through the mountain.

He made a mental note to share that with Wally later while simultaneously avoiding getting the 'Secret Tunnel' song stuck in his head. The speedster would probably get a kick out of it.

However, _getting_ to the secret tunnel meant they had to leave the relative safety of the ventilation system to read the entrance hidden in the library. The moment they'd dropped down out of the vent, they'd started moving. "There's a secret passage behind one of these bookcases." He said quietly as they headed down the staircase, vaulting over the side to skip the last handful of steps.

"Seriously?" Artemis questioned. "Cliché much?"

Robin stifled an amused snort, but he couldn't quite keep the smile out of his voice. "You should see the Batcave."

As they traversed the shelves, a sudden hiss as the door slid open echoed through the space, sending them both on alert. Artemis immediately nocked an arrow as Robin slid a birdarang into his hand. Whirling around, they confirmed that whoever had entered was still out of sight, so they hid behind the nearest shelf.

The same metal footsteps that Robin had heard multiple times before rang out. He was harshly reminded of the countless times he'd fought Mr. Freeze, but he knew that there was no way it was the cryogenic villain.

"Artemis, Robin."

His spine stiffened at the familiar tone, and he saw Artemis' shoulders relax and a wide grin cross her face as she stepped out eagerly. "It's Red Tornado."

The light hit the newcomer just right, and he saw the unfamiliar golden emblem coating a scarlet chest that was marred by angry claw marks, with no signature blue cape draped around his form. He didn't hesitate, throwing himself to the side into Artemis.

"Yes on the Red, no on the Tornado!" He shouted as they rolled under a wooden table, which was smashed into little pieces with no effort on their pursuer's part. In their flight, they came face to face with the other android, the female one, who spewed fire from her hands that they barely managed to dodge. It was a miracle really, considering they were in point blank range.

Quickly getting his bearings, Robin realized that the surprise attack had inadvertently led them towards the secret passage. Leaping up onto the top of a bookshelf with ease, Robin started jumping from one shelf to another as the fire suppressant system went off, dousing everything in water. He dropped back down onto the ground in front of a very specific shelf.

"Who? What are they?" Artemis asked, though it was mostly rhetorical at that point. He heard her fire an arrow as he examined the spines of the books carefully. Shortly after, there was a distinct thunk as the bookshelves started to topple into each other like dominoes. His eyes lit on the emblem he was looking for, grabbing and pulling the hidden lever as the shelf behind them started to fall.

The moment the entryway was exposed, they both flew into the secret tunnel, and started sprinting yet _again_ as the door sealed shut behind them.

"Did you know Tornado had siblings?" Despite the amount of running and hiding they'd been doing, Artemis didn't sound out of breath at all, which was a relief to hear. They'd probably be at this for a while longer.

"No." Robin answered swiftly, only to have Artemis grab his arm just as he was about to turn left at the junction, yanking them both to a stop.

"So now what? Red Tornado is one of the power houses of the League!" She demanded, starting to sound slightly hysterical. "How are we supposed to take down _two_ of him?"

"They do seem pretty user unfriendly." He quipped, more as a reflex than anything else.

His attempt at humor didn't land in the slightest. "Don't joke. They-"

" _Attention Robin, Attention Artemis."_ The voice of the Not-Tornado echoed throughout the Cave. Seemed like he'd figured out how to patch himself into the intercom. " _You have exactly ten minutes or the lives of your teammates will be extinguished."_

Robin froze minutely, trading a look with Artemis.

Great. He hated it when supervillains insisted on deadlines.

This was _so_ not asterous.

H

Just as she predicted, this entire situation was turning into a bit of a nightmare for Ski'Lira. Thus, in order to stave off a full nervous breakdown ( _because she couldn't move she couldn't moveshewastrappedtrappedtrapped)_ she was steadfastly mentally reciting as many verses of the Tale of Syn'Arth the Conqueror as she could in its original High Thanagarian. She knew she kept skipping parts, and forgot sections entirely, but it was… mostly working.

Thankfully, Kid Flash and Superboy seemed to be just fine, although Miss Martian and Aqualad were most likely suffering highly from the heat. Not that she could see them from where her head was locked in place.

She was just trying to recall which verse she'd left off on (since she had lost her place when the android intruder had announced their untimely demise to their two teammates were seemingly running around the Cave), when one of her fellow trapped and half-submerged companions spoke up.

"You think Artemis and Robin are okay?" Superboy's quiet question interrupted her recollection, making sure that her brain was one hundred percent fully in the moment.

Which is _definitely_ what she wanted right now.

"They'll be fine." Kid Flash assured him. "I mean, Robin's the king of disappearing, and I bet… I bet there are secret tunnels all over this… mountain." He suddenly laughed. "Oh my gosh, secret tunnel through the mountains. I've _got_ to tell Rob that later."

"I swear that if you start singing the song I am going to rip your mouth off of your _face_." Ski'Lira snapped.

He turned to her, eyes wide. "Wait, you got that reference?"

"Of course I got that reference. What do you take me for, some kind of heathen?" Growling lowly, she relished in the simmer of anger, letting it fill her head. Deciding that being angry was doing a lot more than the recitations were, she turned her attention to the metallic beings patrolling around them.

At that moment, she was very glad that no one in the room could speak Thanagarian, because a lot of the angry insults that left her mouth, directed solely at their captors, probably would have given _Batman_ pause.

But her tirade was cut short as the masculine android she'd marred with her claws gave an idle wave of his hand.

The water that had previously been lapping at their waist rose until it was well above torso height. Since she was setting up a few inches higher than the other two, the waterline stopped at her collarbone, while the others had it up to their necks.

The next insult she'd prepared abruptly died in her throat as her eyes froze on the new danger. Clamping her mouth shut as tight as she could to make sure that no unfortunate noises (like, for example, whines or whimpers) would be audible to the others.

She was not weak. She was _not weak._ She. Was. Not. _Weak._

It was just a little water.

She'd been submerged before, she'd been stuck underwater briefly before, this was something she _knew_ how to deal with. The villains were just trying to scare them and their wayward teammates, what for, she had no clue.

 _But she still couldn't move_.

Her wings fluttered without her permission, but the feathery appendages were firmly glued to her back by the metal surrounding her.

Letting out a soft growl of frustration, she squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could manage, desperately trying to remember which verse she'd been on as she forced her wings to stop moving, because the unconscious attempts at fluttering and stretching _were not helping_.

But she couldn't remember.

She couldn't remember _any_ of it.

Closing her eyes had proven to be a mistake, as cutting off one of her senses made her focus on the sensation of being _stuck_ more than she already was. Eyes snapping open, she tried to focus on _anything_ , but all she could see was a rocky ceiling, the dangerously close water, and her teammates _trapped_ and _unable to do anything_.

Just like her.

It was about then that she realized she was hyperventilating. Logic told her she should open her mouth and try to get a handle on her breathing, but her unwillingness to give _any_ of her distress away (either to her friends or to her captors). She forced herself to keep breathing through her nose.

But it didn't help.

Not soon enough, anyway.

In between one labored breath and the next, Ski'Lira Hol quietly passed out, her teammates none the wiser.

H

" _Eight minutes"_ The false Tornado announced as the two wayward heroes sprinted for their teammates' lives.

"We can access the hangar from here." Robin said, but they were both forced to skid to a halt as a noise sounded behind them. A hauntingly familiar one. Robin felt his heart drop into his stomach as he saw _another_ wave of approaching water. "Or not."

"Will you stop saying that?!" Artemis shouted, thoroughly frustrated.

Fleeing proved fruitless, as they were once again submerged in water. This time, there was no quick escape, as the entirety of the hallway had been filled top to bottom and end to end. Using the quick release at the neck of his cape, Robin dug a compact rebreather out of his utility belt and placed it in his mouth, relishing in the influx of air. Once he'd managed a few lungfuls, he swam over to a flailing Artemis. He grabbed her hands and shoved the rebreather between her lips.

He had no way to warn Artemis as the water-controlling Not-Tornado appeared behind her, cutting through the water effortlessly and snagging an ankle in a viselike grip. Robin grabbed one of the arrows floating around him that had fallen from Artemis' quiver, swimming up to the android and jamming it into his left eye. The sudden attack forced him to release his grip on the archer.

Snagging Artemis around the middle, Robin fired off his grapple gun, the hook embedding into the wall at the end of the hallway. With a press of a button, they were jerked forward far faster than either of them could swim. On the way, he undid the pouch holding his explosives, allowing them to fall out of his belt and into the water behind them. He felt the explosions go off behind them as they turned the corner. Letting go of Artemis, they both swam for the nearby hangar.

Surfacing, they both gasped desperately for breath.

"LOOK OUT!" Kid Flash shouted, giving them just enough warning to duck back down underwater in time to avoid a targeted fireball.

Robin spotted out of place splashes of color, red and yellow (both from Kid Flash's boots and pants, and Hawkgirl's gleaming golden boots). He made his way over, and he and Artemis resurfaced next to their trapped friends.

"You guys okay?" Robin said immediately.

"Forget us. Help M'Gann!" Superboy's eyes turned up towards the nearest platform.

Robin caught a glimpse of a fiery cage in his peripheral vision, but he kept his attention on the trapped trio, looking for potential injury. They _seemed_ fine, but he couldn't be certain. He felt a little inkling of concern when Hawkgirl didn't speak up, nor did she angle her head towards them. But considering she had a tendency to go quiet during missions and more serious situations, he wasn't sure if it was intentional or not.

"Aqualad, is she-?!" Artemis called up to the caged Atlantean.

"She is unconscious. I fear she- _we_ cannot survive much longer." Aqualad answered, voice visibly strained. Robin was harshly reminded of when they'd recovered him in the Bialyan desert. At least he was still fully cognizant at this point.

Before they could take any further action to check on the condition of their friends, the fire android made another appearance, forcing them to dive back down to avoid being roasted alive. They headed towards the half-submerged stairs, only to see that the other android was close on their heels.

With his sparking eye and torn apart body, he was looking rough. If his face wasn't expressionless, he'd probably look pretty peeved by that point.

The fire android at the top of the stairs, sandwiching them between the two formidable enemies.

"I'm almost out of arrows." Artemis said. It wasn't exactly something he _wanted_ to hear, but it was definitely something he needed to. In a split second, he came up with an idea. Not an entire plan, but something that would definitely help them.

"Distract her, now!"

As she fired off an arrow at the fire android, Robin headed down the stairs towards the masculine android, tossing two birdarangs, which both glanced off (which really made him wonder exactly what had managed to pierce that guy's armor). However, one of the projectiles went exactly where he intended it to go.

He turned to see Artemis had joined them, and they both jumped off the platform back into the water just as the androids simultaneously let loose their attacks, water and fire colliding harshly.

His goal was a grate down below that led into yet another tunnel, which he tore off with ease. Artemis led the way, swimming ahead and then upwards, until they emerged into an air-filled pipe that hadn't been fully flooded. Making use of the handy ladder, Robin hauled himself up and collapsed onto the metal curved floor, gasping for breath. He was used to long nights of running around Gotham, but this demented game of cat and mouse was starting to wear on him.

" _Six minutes"_

Robin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the reminder of their deadline.

"What do we do know?" Artemis asked.

"We save them." He answered without hesitating. "That's how it works."

The blonde promptly exploded, an outburst that he was honestly surprised hadn't happened earlier. "Maybe that's how it's _supposed_ to work, but these robots already took out our _five super-powered friends_!"

Robin offered her a placating smile. "You seem distraught."

"Distraught?! M'Gann is _dying_. We have _no powers_ and I'm down to my last arrow! _Of course I'm distraught!"_

"Well get _traught_ or get dead!" He snapped. Robin blew out a harsh breath, lapsing into silence. For a moment, he'd expected to hear Hawkgirl chide him for ruining the English language again.

"…How can you be so calm?" Seemingly calmer, Artemis' shoulders slumped slightly.

"Practice." Robin turned onto his hands and knees and started crawling away from her. "I've been doing this since I was nine."

And honestly, this still wasn't the worst situation he'd ever found himself in. It didn't even make the top five.

"What good is that now?" Artemis insisted, sounding almost pleading. She really was reaching the end of her rope. But neither of them could afford to snap, not with the deadline looming so close. "What chance do we have against unrelenting machines?"

Robin froze. "Oh _duh_." He couldn't believe he didn't see it before! "They're machines." He angled his head back to look Artemis in the eyes, well aware he was now grinning like a madman. "And one electromagnetic pulse will shut down _any_ machine within range!"

"Great." For the first time in a while, he saw a spark of hope in the archer's gray eyes. "Except you better have an EMP emitter in your utility belt, because I know I don't have one in my quiver."

"I'm fresh out. But I'm betting we can make one." He pressed a finger to his comm unit, activating it and connecting remotely to the birdarang currently embedded in metal next to Wally's head. "What do you say KF? Doable?"

" _Totally doable."_ The speedster agreed, voice slightly tinny.

" _Five minutes"_ The android reminded.

" _You know… if you had more time."_ Kid Flash amended.

H

Kicking at the metal panel in front of him, Robin clambered out of the vent into the med bay.

" _Med bay, x-ray machine_." Kid Flash directed quietly. _"You'll find a small vacuum tube called a vircator that converts high energy pulses."_

With his friend's instructions, he headed over to the x-ray machine and connected his hologlove directly.

" _Reprogram the unit's microwave conversion from x-rays to EMP's with a cascading energy vector directed outward."_

Reaching in, he gently grabbed the tube in question with his gloved hands, twisting it and carefully removing it from its hub. He knew the device was relatively durable, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"A ripple effect, like dropping a stone in a pond."

" _A stone with ten to the twelfth power of wattage, yeah."_

"So I'll need to hook it up to the cave's main generator…"

Artemis spoke up. "Which is _where_?"

Oh, she definitely wasn't going to like this next part.

H

" _Four minutes."_ The android was diligent with his countdown that was for sure.

The two young heroes dropped quietly down into the hangar via the ventilation system, infiltrating from above rather than below this time. Robin activated his comm. "Okay, make with the distraction."

On his cue, Kid Flash started shouting, loud enough that it echoed around the space. "Hey, Red Tomato! Who's your girlfriend, Red Onion?!"

"Yeah!" Superboy added. "And by the way? Worst death trap ever! We can escape any time we want!"

"I can vibrate my molecules out of here before your binary brains can count to two!"

During the course of the distraction, he and Artemis booked it to the other side of the hallway, closer to the generator. "Cover me." He ordered the archer as he hooked the end of a rappel line to the stone wall next to them, dropping down towards the generator.

"And you can't drown a Kryptonian, dumb bots! We don't breathe air!"

"Ha ha ha!" As Wally gave an exaggerated laugh and continued the ruse, Robin landed safely on the giant machine, popping open a panel and placing the precious tube inside, starting the process of hooking it up. "And Miss Martian? I can't believe you're buying her act!"

"Rerouting power now." Robin whispered, updating the others to his progress.

"Yeah, you know how hot it gets in the caves of Mars?" Superboy yelled.

When the device failed to connect, a harsh groan left Robin's throat. "It's not working!"

"That cage just making her homesick!" Conner continued.

"Duh!" Wally added, letting out another exaggerated laugh for good measure.

Eyes narrowing as he examined the device, he suddenly realized what had gone wrong. "The circuit's incomplete." His hands scrabbled for his utility belt, searching through the pouches that had become significantly sparser over the course of this little adventure. "I need something conductible. A piece of metal or-"

"ROBIN, LOOK OUT!"

Water erupted around him before he could take so much as a step backwards, surging up and closing around him.

After a mere five seconds of struggling, he forced his body to go limp, intent on tricking the androids. What he hadn't planned on was how long the android kept him locked in a bubble.

What had started out as a ruse turned all too real very quickly as he fell unconscious, his final thought a hope that Artemis was able to survive on her own.

H

It was the sound of voices and the feeling of hands on his body that roused him. Eyes opening a crack, Robin coughed up a small amount of water, turning his head to the side to make sure it landed on the ground instead of on his chest. Blinking a few times, his vision cleared enough for him to make out Artemis' relieved face hovering above him.

He smiled, feeling distinctly proud of her. "Way to get traught."

A few minutes later, everyone had successfully regrouped around the trio trapped in metal. M'Gann was fully conscious, her limp form being supported by a quickly recovering Aqualad. Artemis had taken a quick trip to the armory to retrieve a large laser, which would hopefully provide enough firepower to safely melt the metal prison without harming their teammates.

"Figured my only shot was to surrender, pretend to drown before I actually did." Robin said, finishing his explanation of his plan. "Blacked out, though."

Superboy's hand twitched, stretching it as far as he could manage. "M'Gann"

"I'll be fine." The Martian assured, voice slightly wavering.

"Hey HG." Robin said, turning his attention to the Thanagarian member of their team. "You must be pretty peeved you missed all of the fun stuff."

But she didn't answer.

Mentally cursing, Robin felt his stomach clench at the thought of his earlier hunch being proven. He felt Aqualad's eyes tracking him as he moved towards the unresponsive Hawkgirl.

"Will you quite playing with that thing and cut us free already?!" Kid Flash demanded, his attention focused on Artemis. Meanwhile, Robin pressed two fingers to Hawkgirl's exposed neck, letting out a relieved breath at her steady pulse. He had no doubt that if her heart had stopped, Superboy would have told them far soon. Tapping her on the cheek, she didn't even twitch at Robin's prodding.

"It's not working, genius." Artemis snapped. Her temperament had returned to its usual level of irritation, mostly in response to the speedster. "EMP shuts down all machines, remember?"

"All machines present at the time."

Heads whipped in unison towards the voice, all of them immediately relieved at finally seeing the _real_ Red Tornado descending towards them. He looked and sounded about as concerned as a monotone machine could get. "What has occurred?"

Robin took a step back from Hawkgirl to address the hero directly. "Had a little visit from your family."

"Your extremely nasty family." Artemis added with no small amount of vitriol.

"I was not aware I had relations." Red Tornado admitted.

Superboy scowled. "Where have you _been_?"

"Monitor duty on the Watchtower." He approached the powered down androids, his blank eyes examining them where they lay motionless on the ground. "When it became clear Cave communications were own, I attempted to investigate, but your Zeta Tubes were also nonfunctional." Tornado bent down to get a closer look. "I transported to Providence and proceeded here."

His explanation completed, their attention was caught by a sudden whirr as Sphere burst into live, vibrating himself out of the wall and rolling over to Superboy. The force also dislodged Hawkgirl's mace, and it clanged harshly when it hit the ground.

"Hey boy." Superboy greeted, smiling at his pet.

A burst of laser fire startled Artemis, who stared at the barrel of the device in her hand in surprise.

Robin's eyes widened. "The pulse has worn off!" He and Kid Flash apparently had the same thought.

Red Tornado stood up from his crouch, turning away from the two androids to face the teens, promptly creating three full powered vortexes, sucking all of the air out of the room.

As Robin gasped for air along with his comrades, his last thought was _'Not again'_.

H

Robin wasn't going to lie, he was more than a little concerned that Hawkgirl hadn't woken up yet. Everyone else on the team had, with Artemis being the last, thanks to the timely arrival and aid of the Justice League. Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Captain Atom had all arrived on the scene, but it was too late. Red Tornado was already gone.

He had just finished quietly talking to his mentor when Black Canary suddenly garnered everyone's attention.

"Hawkgirl, can you hear me?" Dinah asked.

Lo and behold, the Thanagarian was _finally_ beginning to stir.

After they'd been awakened by the League (and they hadn't been able to rouse Hawkgirl), Robin had finally gotten to tell the others his suspicion. With the input from Kid Flash and Superboy, they were able to figure out a rough timeline of when she'd lost consciousness.

They just had no idea _why_.

With a final decisive crack, the last of the makeshift cage holding Hawkgirl fell away, crumbling to the ground. Captain Atom extracted her and gently set her on the ground before moving to start freeing Superboy.

"Hawkgirl-" Canary started to repeat as she kneeled down next to the twitching brunette.

What happened next was definitely one of those 'blink and you miss it' situations.

Hawkgirl's limp body had stiffened and a clawed hand shot towards Canary's throat, only for Superman to appear abruptly between them, catching both of her hands in his steel-like grip.

"Hawkgirl, you're safe. The intruders are gone and your team is unharmed." Superman said softly, yet firmly.

Robin saw the moment she regained her clarity, as her head angled slightly and her wings relaxed ever so slightly. Assured that she wouldn't be attacking anyone anytime soon, Superman let her go.

For a moment, she just _looked_ at him, then cast a searching gaze around the cave, eyes lighting on each of them in turn.

And then her wings snapped out to their full length, and she shot herself into the air, tearing out of the nearest exit like a bat out of hell.

But none of the present League members made a move to follow her.

Robin regrouped with the rest of his team as Batman went to speak to Martian Manhunter. They all stood awkwardly near the piled of melted metal, unsure what they could even say.

It was M'Gann who broke the silence, and not in a way they were expecting. "… I don't think I've ever seen her so scared before."

Artemis did a double take. "Wait, what? Who?"

"Hawkgirl."

Whatever answer they'd been expecting, it certainly hadn't been that. Robin couldn't help the pensive frown that appeared on his face.

"My mental shields are… weak, right now." M'Gann started to explain. Her voice was significantly stronger than it had been before, and she was able to stand on her own two feet without difficulty. "I'm only picking up on surface thoughts and emotions, but… it's enough. She was terrified the entire time."

"… And we didn't notice." Conner's blue eyes dropped to the ground. The present members of the League were kind enough to keep silent.

"None of us did." Aqualad agreed, sounding ashamed. "We were so focused on M'Gann's distress that we missed hers."

A loud throat clear jerked them out of the guilt trip they'd started. Black Canary crossed her arms. "You can all continue this chat in the med bay. I want to get you all looked over, just in case."

"What about Hawkgirl?" Artemis asked.

"She'll be back." The older woman assured them, and they had no doubt she was telling the truth, and thus they headed towards the hallway. Both Kid Flash and Superboy were freed almost simultaneously, and they both joined their friends. Satisfied with their compliance, Dinah turned to Green Arrow. "Arrow, can you wait here and-?"

"Direct her where she needs to go. Got it." The archer flashed her a thumbs up.

That was the last Robin heard and saw before they made it into the hallway, KF and Superboy catching up easily. He hoped Hawkgirl really was doing alright.

H

Ski'Lira spent a good percentage of her life in the sky, but she couldn't remember the last time going on a flight had provided such _relief_. The moment she'd felt the wind on her face and the breeze rippling through her feathers, it felt like the first dive into a swimming pool on a hot summer day.

Or, you know, finally being released from a metallic coffin after being trapped for who knows how long. She hadn't exactly stuck around long enough to _ask_.

She kept herself up in the sky, going so far as to remain above cloud level, up until the point the last of the tension had left her chest and her mind had finally steadied into its standard level of calm. Savoring a last few moments hovering in the cool night air, she tucked her wings in tight and dove down back towards the mountain.

By her count, she'd been gone for probably fifteen minutes by the time she walked back into the hangar. Her teammates and the League were all gone, apart from Green Arrow and the Flash. The former was idly leaning against the same wall that Sphere had previously been stuck in, while the latter was perched up on one of the generators, crouched down and inspecting something within.

"Hey" From his tone of voice, she could tell she was talking to Oliver rather than Green Arrow right now. "Feel better?"

"… Yes." To avoid eye contact, she bent down and scooped up her mace, hanging it from her belt. The familiar weight was reassuring. "Everyone else…?"

"In the med bay, but no serious injuries. Dinah wanted to make sure everyone got checked out. Including you. But… there's something you should know first."

Her brow furrowed, and she gave him a nod, urging him to continue.

"Thanks to Artemis and Robin, they managed to disable the two androids that broke into the cave. Red Tornado was the first responder and… it seems that he went rogue."

Ski'Lira's mouth parted slightly in shock. "Tornado did _what_?!"

"We're not sure of the exact details since all the cameras in here are down, but from what the kids told us… He attacked them without warning, sucking out the air and knocking them all unconscious. By the time we got here, he was long gone… along with the two other androids."

She let out a swear that made him wince a little with its severity. "There's no trace? And it was definitely him? Not a lookalike like the others or Mister Twister?"

"The Zeta log confirmed that it was definitely him." Oliver straightened, pushing back his hood to run a hand through his hair before replacing it. "It's a mess, that's for damn sure. But for now, you should head over to the med bay. Your team's pretty worried about you."

"Worried, why?"

"You passed out for seemingly no reason. Of course they're worried."

"There is no need for that. Honestly, I could probably just head home-"

He just gave her a _look_. "Go, Skylar. Or I'll call your parents."

And that was definitely a real threat. As much as she'd like to avoid this confrontation, she didn't want to garner her parents' ire. Or Dinah's. So it was with great reluctance that she left the hangar. The _last_ thing that she had wanted was for her teammates to find out, but apparently they still had. They'd seen her _weak_.

And she was _not_. But maybe she didn't have to tell the truth, she just had to come up with a believable enough lie in the next thirty seconds.

A dark shape loomed in the dimly lit hallway as she turned a corner, quickly identified as Batman. He maneuvered himself so that he was blocking her path, looking down at her.

"Hawkgirl. I know that you're planning on lying to your teammates. _Don't_."

"… Are you sure you're not a mind reader?" She grumbled, crossing her arms. _How did he know that?!_ Oh, that was a stupid question. He's Batman, he knows everything.

"No. I just know _you_." He replied evenly. "As second in command, you should _know_ that having knowledge of everyone's potential weaknesses is vital. You are _not_ an exception."

"I do not have a _weakness_." Ski'Lira hissed, her wings flaring behind her.

The older vigilante was unimpressed with her threat display. "Severe claustrophobia _is_ a fault, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. And your teammates _need_ to know about it. If none of you knew about a Martian's susceptibility to fire, how would anyone be able to tell how much danger she was in today? Or if you didn't know about Kid Flash's increased calorie intake and were stranded? Or in Bialya, when Aqualad almost died from dehydration?"

"… That's different." She resisted the urge to wince, knowing that defense was terrible.

"It's _not_." Batman replied vehemently. "Believe me, I've had plenty of experience with Thanagarian pride thanks to your parents… and seeing you grow up. But someday, it could get you _killed_. Tell them."

Swallowing heavily, Ski'Lira gave the slightest of nods. "Fine."

Without another word, he reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder in reassurance before sweeping past her, disappearing into the shadows.

H

When she arrived at the med bay, she felt a spike of worry at seeing her friends all laying on hospital beds. Both Robin and Artemis had oxygen masks perched on their faces, while Kid Flash and Aqualad had IV's stuck in their arms. Both M'Gann and Conner seemed fine, but the former was looking distinctly tired. Nevertheless, they were still confined to beds.

"There you are." Dinah said from where she was standing next to an empty bed. "I thought I'd have to send someone to drag you back."

Ski'Lira merely shrugged, pointedly ignoring everyone's eyes on her as she sat down on the bed, carefully adjusting her wings.

"Alright everyone, look away, I need Hawkgirl to take her helmet off." Canary ordered, sending the spectators a glare.

"If you look, I'll claw your eyes out." Ski'Lira threatened, but it didn't come out with as much violent promise as she could usually manage. Once she was sure everyone was looking away, she pulled off her helmet. She grimaced at the wet and tangled mess of her braid that dropped onto her back.

Canary kindly didn't say anything about the obvious tear tracks marring her face, instead picking up a pen light and checking her pupillary response.

"Speaking of claws…" Robin suddenly piped up, voice slightly muffled from the plastic mask fitted over his face. Ski'Lira glanced over while Dinah ran a stethoscope over her chest, to see Robin on the bed next to her with a hand clamped over his eyes. "Was that you who" He made a vague scratching gesture with his free hand. "The water guy?"

"Yes." She answered tersely.

"Awesome. No matter what Artemis and I threw at them, we couldn't even dent them. Except that arrow I put through his eye."

Things grew incredibly awkward very quickly. Thankfully, Canary spoke up. "You seem to be in the clear, Hawkgirl. No adverse effects. You can put your helmet back on now."

Fitting the mask back over her face, Ski'Lira swung her legs up onto the bed so she was sitting cross-legged.

"Alright, Kaldur, Wally, I want you to keep those IV's in until they're almost finished. You kids already know the drill. Artemis, Robin, you can take off the masks now."

"Thank god." Artemis mumbled as she tore the offending plastic off of her face, setting the mask aside as Dinah turned off their respective tanks.

"I'll check in on you later." Offering them all a last reassuring smile, Black Canary left the teens alone.

The only sounds that filled the room were the steady hums of machinery, and the occasional awkward shuffle from the occupants.

Finally, Wally's legendary impatience kicked in. "Okay, elephant in the room." He pointed an accusing finger Ski'Lira's way. "What the _hell_ was that?"

"Wally…" M'Gann chastised. "Don't be rude. If she doesn't want to talk about it, then it's none of our business."

"None of our business?" The speedster asked. "You said yourself she was scared! We're her _friends_ which makes it our _business_ to _help_ her!"

Hawkgirl's head whipped towards the Martian, a scowl on her lips. "You _told them_?"

"Just that you were scared!" M'Gann insisted. "I'd never invade your privacy by… I didn't mean to… We're just…"

"I think that M'Gann is trying to say that we are concerned for your wellbeing." Kaldur swiftly amended.

"Hawkgirl." Conner said softly. "We just want to help."

Blowing out a long breath, Ski'Lira bent her head, rubbing the back of her neck. "… What I'm about to tell you can't leave this room."

"It won't." Robin promised, and the others either nodded or gave verbal assent.

She remained quiet for just a few seconds longer, trying to get her thoughts in order. "A long time ago… Thanagarians developed this… genetic quirk. Evolutionary scientists on my planet came to the conclusion it was a direct result of developing our wings." She flexed her own for emphasis, the feathers rustling softly. "It's… the quirk, it's… we don't do well in… small spaces. Some only have a mild aversion, but others…" Ski'Lira trailed off, her shoulders hunching in a little.

"You're claustrophobic." Robin filled in.

Ski'Lira gave an affirming nod, her eyes locked on the bed she was sitting on. She didn't want to see the _pity_ on their faces. "Most of the time when I get trapped, I get angry, or at least I force myself to be. It helps with the… panic response. Remember when we were in those pods in Cadmus and they tried to clone us?"

"Vividly." Wally deadpanned. "I also remember you tearing out of that thing like a chestburster from _Alien_."

"Like I said. Angry. But sometimes… it's not enough."

Feeling the bed dip under new weight, Ski'Lira looked up to see M'Gann had gotten up from her own and settled down next to her, smiling softly. "I understand. I mean, Martians have something similar, as you know… You shouldn't feel ashamed of it, it's just part of who you are."

Ski'Lira's face reddened a little and she instinctively snapped. "I am not _ashamed_." She was definitely ashamed.

She could tell from the look in her eyes that M'Gann had clearly seen through that blatant lie. "More importantly, we don't think any less of you for it."

"Why the heck would we hold something like that against you?!" Artemis demanded, arms crossed. "That's insane."

"You can't help it, and let's be real, you've been handling it pretty well so far." Wally agreed.

Robin nodded. "Like Cadmus… and probably the mines in Santa Prisca too, right? This time you just-"

"Have a severe panic attack and passed out?" Hawkgirl said in monotone, her lip tugging ever so slightly into a wisp of a smile. "Handling it. Right."

M'Gann reached out and grabbed one of her hands, entwining their fingers. "It's okay, really. None of us blame you. You don't blame me for getting overwhelmed, do you?"

"No!" Ski'Lira insisted. "Of course not."

"Then why won't you allow yourself the same courtesy?"

All Ski'Lira could offer was a slight smirk as she felt… relieved, at least a little. "Call it a cultural difference."

"Nevertheless, we know better now. Perhaps we can help to avoid such an occurrence in the future?" Kaldur suggested. "If we know the signs, we can provide aid."

Artemis snorted and mumbled something that distinctly sounded like 'hiding bullet wounds'.

Hawkgirl sighed, rolling her head back, still allowing M'Gann to hold her hand. "I suppose I will… endeavor to be more open. For the record, it's purely because Batman threatened me earlier. Not because we're friends and I would occasionally welcome your help."

Robin smirked. "Sure. Whatever you say."

Wally smacked his knees loudly as he stood up, carefully removing the needle from his arm since the IV was finished. "Well, today has been all kinds of terrible. So I vote we order pizza from that place downtown with the killer breadsticks and watch Ratatouille."

The motion passed unanimously.

An hour and a half later, Black Canary quietly took and sent a picture to the entirety of the League. All seven teens fast asleep in the lounge, plates of half-eaten pizza strewn around them and the end credits for Ratatouille playing on the flatscreen. M'Gann and Superboy were curled up next to each other on the couch, while Aqualad had an armchair to himself. On the floor was a veritable pile of limbs, with Ski'Lira acting as a makeshift pillow for both Artemis and Robin, the former on her stomach and the latter her shoulder. Kid Flash was sprawled face down on a pile of pillows, his legs thrown over the Thanagarian's.

It was, in a word, precious.

* * *

I decided to do the POV switch to Robin for a few reasons. One, Homefront is one of my favorite episodes. Two, Robin's just a lot of fun to write. Three, if I had the chapter completely in Sky's POV (as per usual), it would be a very short chapter and probably not as much fun for me to write and you all to read. And finally, I had the option of putting Sky with Rob and Artie, but I felt like that would completely ruin the integrity of the episode, considering the whole point is to prove to Artemis that even those with superpowers are fallible.

I hope you all enjoyed it!

As of right now, I have three oneshots started and planned out for FoF: Side Stories. I should have at least one of them up before the next chapter of the main story is published.

Oh, and I still don't own Young Justice. Big surprise.

Have a wonderful day and questions, comments, and concerns are always welcome!


	19. Rumble in the Jungle

It is almost three in the morning and I am _so tired_. BUT I FINISHED IT! Whoo.

A good chunk of my motivation for slogging my way through this chapter (it's a labor of love) can be attributed to finally getting the chance to see Shazam!

The chapter I offer to you is 'Alpha Male' (which I know I should have finished like, two weeks ago). But I have not been idle, no sir! In the interim I've been working on multiple oneshots that should be published… soon? Hopefully? One's nearly complete, and then another's outlined, and OH MY GOD I JUST REMEMBERED THE IDEA FOR A ONESHOT I HAD EARLIER

Anyway, I'm going to go write down this oneshot idea before I forget it _again_ and then proceed to get mad at myself for not writing it down.

Enjoy!

EDIT 8/21/2019: Altered Sky's inner monologue prior to Brain and Mallah's escape, to mention the others' inherent abilities that could easily have prevented said escape. This edit came about after I watched Aquaman (the new DCU one) and they mentioned that Atlantean's have excellent night vision. It made waaay too much logical sense, so I'm making it canon. Long story short, Kaldur can see in the dark now.

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2010  
06:34 EDT

The morning had been… hectic, to say the least. Repairs had been going on almost all through the night and into the morning, and it was the resulting ruckus that roused the sleeping teens in the lounge. Hawkgirl had disengaged herself from the makeshift cuddle pile on the floor first, in order to properly stretch out her wings. They were slightly stiff from laying on her back all night.

An underlying tension hovered over all of them, and instead of amicably chatting amongst themselves, they remained eerily quiet and shuffled off towards the bathrooms to take care of their morning ablutions. Once they had properly showered, changed back into their uniforms, and consumed hasty breakfasts, they all ended up sitting around a table in the hub. Green Arrow and Black Canary seemed content in leaving them to their self-imposed silence.

Most of them sat, though Conner was seemingly adamant in standing, with Wally flopped over with his head lying on his crossed arms. Shifting slightly to stretch out her wings a final time, Ski'Lira took her own seat, and promptly dug out her phone, seeing she had a few unread messages from various times over the course of the past few hours.

 _Dad: Sleep well, fledgling, dream of glorious battle. You did well today. We're both proud of you._

 _Dad: Morning_

 _Dad: Just as a heads up, don't expect to be home anytime soon_

Brow furrowing, she tapped out a reply.

 _Sky: What does that mean?_

 _Dad: Bats has a plan, apparently._

Speaking of the Batman, Aqualad broke away from the group when he caught sight of the vigilante, heading towards him and quietly requesting for a private meeting. The two ended up on the other side of the hub just as Green Arrow made a reappearance after disappearing for a short period. He had a white bowl filled with snack food in hand, and she recognized one of his trademark strategies for cheering people up and/or placating them, offering food.

Placing the white bowl on the table in front of Wally, Oliver was immediately met with a vehement refusal. "Thanks, but no thanks."

The mere concept of Kid Flash _refusing food_ was enough to make her put away her phone and pay attention.

"Yeah." Robin added. "What we _want_ are answers about Red Tornado and his siblings!"

"Exactly!" Wally's hand lashed out as Oliver attempted to take his offering back. "Leave the bowl." Once it was back in his grasp, he promptly starting shoving food in his mouth.

A noise from across the hub caught her attention, and she dialed in her hearing towards the location, overhearing Aqualad quietly confiding in Batman. A minute twitch on his face confirmed that Conner was listening in too.

Really, if they wanted to have a private conversation, they should have just left the room entirely.

"It was during the Tai Pei mission with Red Arrow. Sportsmaster revealed the possibility of a mole within the team." Ski'Lira's brow furrowed slightly, the action unseen thanks to her helmet. When had that happened? It must have been after the mics were blown out, there was no other time where she'd been out of contact with Aqualad during the course of the mission. "In light of last night's attack, Tornado would appear to be the traitor. But whether he betrayed us willingly or was pre-programmed is still –"

Superboy moved faster than any of them could stop him, surging across the room and physically grabbing Aqualad by the front of his shirt, snarling in his face. "You _knew_?! That android and his maniac family nearly killed M'Gann!"

Miss Martian took to the air, immediately flying over and clearly panicked. Hawkgirl was close behind her, keeping her eyes locked on SB and a hand on her mace, just in case. "Conner, what are you _doing_?" The Martian girl demanded, a frantic edge to her voice.

"Kaldur knew we had a traitor among us and said _nothing_!"

Hawkgirl positioned herself so she was standing off to the side of the two, ready to leap in at a moment's notice and physically tear the Kryptonian off of Kaldur if she had to. Kaldur was durable, but an angry Kryptonian had a strength that could bypass that entirely if he were so inclined.

"You _knew_?" Robin piped up.

"But didn't tell us?" Wally finished, both of them sounding thoroughly betrayed.

"I sought to protect the team from-" Kaldur's attempt at an explanation was interrupted by an irate Artemis.

"Protect us from _what_?!" The blonde sneered. "Knowledge that might have saved our lives?"

Superboy angled his head, his eyes meeting his girlfriend's. "You almost died!" He insisted.

" _Enough_ "

Batman's voice cut through the chaos like a sharp knife. Conner dropped his grip and Hawkgirl removed her hand from her mace, though she didn't move from her position, well aware that this could still go south at the drop of a hat.

Everyone's attention was on Batman, with both Green Arrow and Dinah standing behind him on either side. "With Red Tornado… missing, the team will now be overseen by rotating supervisors." He informed them coolly, leaving no room for argument. "Captain Marvel has volunteered to take the first shift."

The man in question stepped forward from where he'd been patiently waiting by the zeta tubes, ever present grin plastered on his face. Captain Marvel perched his hands on his hips in a token pose. "I'm really looking forward to hanging with you guys!"

His eagerness and sincerity was refreshing, really.

Ski'Lira's eyes snapped back to Conner when he leaned over toward Aqualad, dropping his voice to a threatening whisper. "After I dismantle Red Tornado, you and I are gonna-"

Batman interrupted for the second time, going so far as to step towards Conner and Kaldur until he was looming over both of them. "Red Tornado is a member of the Justice League. That makes him a _League_ responsibility. You _will_ leave him to us." He paused for a moment before stepping back. "I have another assignment for this team."

With a gesture, a holoscreen popped up behind him, displaying a newspaper article from the Daily Planet.

"Gotham Mayor Attacked by Guerilla Gorilla?" Kid Flash read aloud.

"Batman, please!" Robin said, practically begging. "Tell me you're not sending us on this joke of a wild ape chase!"

"I _never_ joke about the mission." Robin looked away at the admonishment, seemingly chastised. "I've checked the sources, I've studied the patterns. Mayor Hill's encounter is only the latest in a series of incidents. Aqualad, you and your team will depart for India and check this out."

Aqualad gave a solemn nod before the other members of the team started filtering out of the room, though Hawkgirl stayed behind with him.

Wally sent a glare Kaldur's way as he passed. "Hmph. 'Your team'."

Hawkgirl watched with narrowed eyes.

H

Superboy shooed away an eager Sphere who had attempted to board the bio-ship just before Captain Marvel flew in, landing silently in front of them.

"You're coming with?" Robin asked.

"Sure!" Captain Marvel's grin widened, if it were possible. "We'll have a blast."

Robin frowned a little before leaning towards Wally, speaking quietly. "Translation, he blames us for the Red fiasco. Doesn't trust us." The Boy Wonder shot a pointed look towards Aqualad.

"It's a big club." The redhead agreed, and the two turned in near unison to board the ship.

Hawkgirl did _not_ like the look on Aqualad's face. Also, did they know _anything_ about Captain Marvel? Because he was probably the most well-meaning goofball on the entirety of the team that she didn't think was physically capable of holding a grudge or being intentionally mean. He'd once chastised her father for _swearing_ too much in the middle of a battle.

Katar told her later the only reason that he let it slide was because he thought it was funny.

But seriously, what was it with her team and focusing on personal matters in the middle of missions? Priorities, people. When she made it into the ship, she pointedly steered Aqualad towards the seat farthest from Conner, placing both herself and Captain Marvel between the two of them.

Conner shot her a slightly wounded look after she sent a heated glare his way, but she merely ignored him after that. It was always Ski'Lira's prerogative to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of the members of her team. And right now, it was her specific priority to make sure that nobody else hurt their leader, physically _or_ emotionally. This was far from an ideal situation for all of them (those on the Team, that is, because Captain Marvel seemed fine), but she was going to do her best to try to provide as much support as she was able.

NORTHERN INDIA  
SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2010  
21:36 IST

The mood on the flight over had been downright _tense_. Captain Marvel, amicable as ever, had attempted to engage the members of the team in conversation, only for it to fall flat. In an attempt to diffuse the tension at least a little (and take some pity upon the hero), Hawkgirl directly engaged him, asking him about how he liked working with her parents.

Getting him to admit that he thought her mother was kinda scary was _priceless_.

And if she felt a flutter of personal pride when he admitted he was excited to get to work with her too, well, that was nobody's business but hers.

Eventually though, the talking petered out until they were once more stuck in silence.

By that point, they were almost to the designated landing zone anyway. M'Gann directed the bioship to come to a stop, the exterior thoroughly camouflaged (as it had been for most of the journey). Both Artemis and Robin attacked grappling hooks to the interior of the ship as the bottom peeled open, allowing them both to drop down safely to the ground. The moment their hooks were detached, they fanned out and scanned the immediate area, weapons at the ready just in case. Meanwhile, the ship landed softly in the clearing, allowing the rest of the team to exit.

"All clear." Robin told them once he'd rejoined them.

"Switch to stealth." Aqualad directed as he activated his own stealth suit. "We'll review mission parameters."

Kid Flash frowned as he tapped his emblem, turning the yellow of his suit into its dark counterpart. "Parameters? We don't need no stinkin' parameters."

"It's recon. We know what to do." Robin agreed, and the two promptly turned to leave the group entirely.

Aqualad moved after them, brow furrowed. "Kid, Robin-"

Robin whirled around, clearly irritated as he stared down the Atlantean. "The four of us started this team because the Justice League was keeping secrets from us!"

"Or did you forget that like you forgot to tell us about the mole?" Sliding his goggles over his eyes, Kid Flash ran off into the forest, with Robin following him.

Soon, the two were both out of Hawkgirl's immediate sight (as the foliage was far too dense to see clearly), though she could still hear them making their way through the trees. Her focus snapped away from the duo as she heard a commotion behind her.

Conner snagged M'Gann by the bicep, as if he were about to drag her off. "Come on, I'll keep you safe."

In immediate retaliation, M'Gann tore her arm out of his grip and shot him a death glare that could probably melt through steel, clearly communicating mentally.

Whatever she said apparently shocked him, as Conner's blue eyes widened, looking a little hurt. "I just want to protect you."

Artemis, bless her heart, immediately intervened at that. "Like Aqualad protected us?" She jabbed him in the chest with the tip of her bow. "I'm not sure your protection _or_ your patronizing is good for our health."

With that, the two girls wandered off into the forest by themselves, though Artemis paused at the tree line long enough to look back at Hawkgirl, a questioning look in her eyes. Ski'Lira gave a subtle shake of her head. There was a flash of disappointment in the archer's grey eyes before she promptly turned her back and continued on her way.

Superboy let out a low growl. "Why didn't you stop them?" He demanded of Aqualad, hands curling into fists. "You're supposed to be in charge."

"I am-" Yet again, Kaldur wasn't given the time to explain before a member of his team merely up and left, Conner leaping off into the distance.

The trio stood there awkwardly for a moment before Captain Marvel cleared his throat. "Um… Did I miss the part where you actually said what the plan was?"

Aqualad let out a small sigh, his green eyes flicking around before landing on her. "I suppose you will be leaving too?"

"My place is here." She assured him, gesturing towards the direction of their intended route. Aqualad seemed a little relieved, though still clearly disheartened as he led the way forwards, Captain Marvel following after him.

As much as she wanted to start scolding Aqualad for rolling over like a chastised dog because his teammates were being _mean_ (unreasonably so, in her opinion, but she knew there were extenuating circumstances at hand), so didn't. This was the kind of lesson that needed to be learned the hard way. He was in command now, and he needed to act like it.

A low rumble caught Ski'Lira's attention, originating from the vegetation behind them, a clear vocalization of a predatory animal, but she passed it off as ambient noise. This place was full of all kinds of wildlife, it was only natural that they were curious about the interlopers in their territory.

H

All three of them were on high alert as they trekked through the jungle, trying to remain as unnoticed as possible for as long as they were able. When Hawkgirl expressed her concerns about Captain Marvel being too easily spotted thanks to his bright uniform, he flew up into the canopy, where the dense layer of leafage concealed him relatively well. Eventually, they stumbled across a trail, Captain Marvel flying down to join them. Seeing a set of distinctive tracks in the mud, Hawkgirl crouched down next to them, mentally calculating the size of the creature as she tried to pick up an accompanying scent trail

"Gorilla" She told the others, before mentally chastising herself for briefly turning into Clayton from Tarzan. "Definitely at least week old. No one else has been through here since."

"Guess this is where Mayor Hill's monkey business went down."

"Gorillas are apes, actually, not monkeys." Ski'Lira corrected him drily, setting back on her heels trying to calculate where the animal had gone off to. If she could find the direction it left in, they might be able to locate a den or at least a smaller scope of where the gorilla's territory was.

Or it could all be moot, considering the gorilla apparently toted around a machine gun. Honestly, she had no idea what to expect.

"So… at least we've confirmed the story, right?" Captain Marvel pointed out. "Aqualad?"

The Atlantean turned back to face him, his mind clearly on other matters. "My apologies, Captain. I am… plagued by doubts." Marvel cocked an eyebrow. "Perhaps… I was wrong to withhold."

Standing up straight, Hawkgirl opened her mouth to give her two cents before a sudden commotion sounded off nearby. Something _big_ was clearly traipsing through the forest, large enough to topple trees and set the ground shaking underneath their feet. The three moved into a tight circle, focused entirely on the newly approaching threat, which was headed straight in their direction. Hawkgirl's mace was a reassuring weight in her hands.

The crashing became louder and louder, until the source emerged from the foliage.

It was a ginormous, blatantly mutated elephant.

At least twice the size of a normal pachyderm, the beast bore unnatural bony spikes that emerged from its grey hide. The hide itself was torn away in places, ripped almost, revealing the smooth red muscle underneath it. Its tusks were sharpened to points, each one bearing an extra curl, giving it four total implements for goring that would no doubt tear through flesh like it was wet tissue paper. Judging from its rough shape and body structure, it was most likely male.

In one single moment, this mission had turned from an absolute shit show into one of the best days of her _life_.

Captain Marvel immediately engaged the beast, only to be caught dexterously by its trunk and thrown into a tree, sending him careening to the ground.

And that's when the _second_ elephant emerged from the other side of the clearing, the bull elephant's female companion.

Ski'Lira couldn't help the peal of delighted laughter that left her lips. Truly, these were absolutely magnificent creatures. They reminded her a little of some of the domestic herd animals they had on Thanagar. And besides, it wasn't every day that one had the chance to face down giant monsters in the middle of a jungle.

Her reaction seemed to snap Aqualad out of his funk at least a little bit. "Why are you laughing at a time like this?!"

"WHY ARE YOU _NOT_?!"

Taking to the air, Ski'Lira was able to dodge as the first elephant charged straight for them, with Aqualad merely jumping out of the way and sprinting. He attempted to turn a fast corner to throw the beast off, but it still managed to catch him with the side of its tusk, tossing him towards the prostrate Captain Marvel.

She drew her attention away from them in order to avoid the swiping trunk of the second elephant, who seemed just as irate as the first.

Captain Marvel appeared in her line of sight as he charged the larger elephant mid-air, sending it sliding backwards through the sheer force of a single hit. Hawkgirl attempted to shout a warning to caution him about the second elephant, but he was already batted out of the air by it. She opted to pursue the first elephant who had trundled out into more open ground.

Flying over its massive body, she landed deftly in front of it as she popped the head off her mace, allowing spools of chain to pool out of it. Snagging the chain in a hand, she spun it around as she dodged a flailing trunk and both tusks, building up sufficient momentum before throwing it upwards. With a strong flap of her wings, she bore herself aloft (also managed to dodge another strike from the elephant), chasing the head of her mace and snagging it out of the air as it reached its apex.

The result of her little game? A giant loop of silvery chain wrapped around the creature's neck like a makeshift lasso. Landing skillfully on the back of its giant head, she planted her feet firmly and tightened the chain, wrapping the ends of the chain around her wrists in order to guarantee a good grip. Of course, this meant that the long handle and spiked ball were dangling awkwardly from her wrists like particularly gaudy and severely oversized jewelry, but she was ignoring that fact in favor of trying to gain control of the elephant.

Captain Marvel seemed to catch onto her plan, and flew in close in order to take advantage of its distraction courtesy of its temporary imprisonment (honestly, she was probably just annoying the elephant more than anything at this point, but as long as she was distracting it and keeping it in place, the easier it would be to take down).

That's when Aqualad shouted from a nearby ridge. "Remove the collar!"

"On it!" Captain Marvel replied as he flew into position. "Hawkgirl?"

Gritting her teeth, she dug her heels into the leather hide of the raging bull elephant and pulled with all of her might. She wasn't trying to strangle him, that would be downright barbaric (not to mention she was pretty sure its skin was so thick, she couldn't have done damage to him unless she was aiming to maim it intentionally, which she obviously was not). Instead she strongly encouraged it to perform a simply action, and she succeeded.

The elephant reared back thanks to her intervention, giving Captain Marvel a sufficient opening to dodge in under its deadly appendages and destroy the collar with a single punch. When the contraption crumbled off of its neck, she could immediately sense a change in the creature's behavior.

Calmly, it lowered back to the ground, completely non-hostile.

Unlooping the chain from around one wrist, she merely allowed the weapon to drop harmlessly onto the ground, freeing the beast. Kneeling down, she fondly patted the elephant on the head and rubbed it gently behind the ear. Leaning over the side of its head, she met its blood red eye, which had lost its haze of fury. Stroking around its face a little more, she briefly folded her body over and pressed her forehead against the bull's before jumping off. Giving the trunk a last pat, she scooped her mace up from the ground as the creature rejoined its companion, both peacefully making their way further into the forest.

"Truly magnificent beasts…" She smiled a little, grateful that the larger of the duo had given her the chance to pet him before he joined his mate. "I'm going to eviscerate the person responsible for imprisoning them and feed their remains to whatever apex predators reside in this region."

"They did look pretty cool." Captain Marvel agreed as he landed next to her, Aqualad moving to join them. "Oh, and I saw a tiger earlier."

"And I missed it?" She let out a disappointed huff and let out a particularly vicious Thanagarian swear in a low voice.

"Pretty sweet the way you figured out the problem was the collars." Captain Marvel told Aqualad.

The Atlantean looked pensive. "But the collars indicate an intelligence behind this attack. The rest of the team may also be at risk." He activated his comm. "Team, report status." A high pitched noise erupted from the device, causing him to wince. "Ugh, comm is jammed. And Miss Martian failed to establish a telepathic link before we split up."

"Actually, _you_ let everyone split up before communications were set." The present League member pointed out.

"They would not listen!" Aqualad insisted.

"I guess." Marvel admitted, though he didn't sound wholly convinced by the argument. "But back at the Cave… Batman stopped everyone from arguing with one word."

"Because Batman is… _Batman_."

Marvel offered a shrug. "Hey, you don't have to tell me. When I first joined the League, all he did was boss me around. And it's hard not to take it personally. But I never disobeyed an order, and that's probably what kept me alive."

Understanding dawned in Kaldur's pale green eyes. "Batman _takes_ command. He has to for the good of the League." He sent a smile the hero's way, starting to look a little more like himself. "Thank you for helping me understand."

"Hey, Wisdom of Solomon." Captain Marvel pointed at his head.

That's when Kaldur finally addressed Hawkgirl. "Why have you not intervened? I expected you would be more… vocal about my lackluster command?"

"You're asking why I didn't shout some sense to you and potentially cause you bodily harm?" She clarified.

"… Yes."

Reaching out, she lightly punched him on the shoulder, not anywhere near hard enough to hurt. "You're still my leader, Aqualad. I agreed with your decision and followed your command, it's the other's fault that they refused to listen. Besides, I was hoping you'd grow a spine on your own. I can't be your scary, aggressive backup all the time. Leaders need to be assertive, and that's not something that can be easily taught." She idly gestured towards Captain Marvel. "But sometimes one just needs some advice from someone with more experience to at least get them on the correct path."

"If you thought this… why did you not say so yourself?"

"I _was_ planning on saying something if this situation either escalated to a dangerous point or at the conclusion of this mission, whichever came first."

Despite her attempts at assurance, Kaldur still didn't seem to believe her intentions. "But… I kept a secret from you. All of you. We were almost killed. And I recall you berating me for making the same mistake with Clayface."

Ski'Lira frowned. "That was a completely different situation. With Clayface, you made a bad judgement call mid-combat that jeopardized us all, but with this… I would have done the exact same thing in your position. Infiltration 101, if you have a list of potential spies, you don't immediately tell them you think one of them is a spy. That's bad form and _definitely_ something that could get you killed. Your caution was logical."

Aqualad's eyes dropped slightly. "…The others do not seem to think the same."

Inhaling and exhaling, Ski'Lira craned her neck back, stretching out her wings a little. "Aqualad, I am about to point out something fairly obvious, and I want you to listen and remember what I'm about to tell you." She waited patiently for his affirming nod, guaranteeing he was doing as she had asked. "We are _children_. Despite how often we've been told that we're 'mature we are for our age' and 'we deal so well with pressure' and whatever extensive training each of us have gone through individually _and_ as a team, none of us have reached the level of maturity for our respective species. That means that we are rash, we don't always think things through, and sometimes we blame something else for our problems when we're clearly upset by another matter entirely. Adults make the same mistake, but we are more prone to it, because _we are teenagers_."

The Atlantean was clearly struck speechless, opening and closing his mouth a few times in aborted attempt to speak, before finally seeming to settle on a response. "You… have a point."

She sent him a sharp smile. "Of course I have a point. We were just betrayed by someone we trusted, someone who cared for us at one time or another, and on top of that we all came very, _very_ close to losing our lives. This is a natural response. I'm just as upset as the others are, but I know that you are not at fault here." Her face sobered. "But it's _our_ job as their leaders to _lead_ them when their logic has left them, and they need to know that they can trust us to take care of them even if they are emotionally compromised. Like they _clearly_ are right now, despite how much they would probably deny it."

"… Are you sure you don't have the Wisdom of Solomon too?" Captain Marvel asked, sounding a little awestruck. "Because that was pretty awesomely put."

Ski'Lira tipped her head towards him. "Thank you for the compliment, Captain. But it's just extensive education in Thanagarian military history, psychology, and a little common sense."

Aqualad's hand flew to his head, fingers pressed to his temple. At her inquisitive look, he mouthed 'Miss Martian', confirming that she had managed to establish a telepathic link. A familiar rumbling nose graced her ears, and she watched as Captain Marvel's attention shifted to something hiding in the bushes.

"Cool, the tiger! I'll be right back!"

"Captain, wait!" Aqualad called after him, but it was too late. He shot Ski'Lira a long-suffering look. "Hey, Speed of Mercury."

The Thanagarian gestured to the direction their minder had disappeared in. "I can retrieve him."

Letting out a small sigh, Aqualad nodded his assent, albeit he still looked slightly reluctant. "Bring him back as quickly as you can."

Since she had gained the confirmation she wanted, Hawkgirl spread her wings and with a powerful flap took to the air. Speeding through the densely packed trees, she flew as quickly as she was able while dodging the plethora of obstacles. His trail was easily to follow, both by the broken branches and debris stirred by his movement, and the scent of lightning and magic that seemed to perpetually hang over the hero. She had expected to find him chasing after the tiger he'd seen and coax him into coming back easily, but instead, an unnatural whirring noise and the war cry of a gorilla proved that it would be much harder than she expected.

Doubling her speed, she erupted into a clearing, folding in her wings and landing on the forest floor heavily. Captain Marvel was ensnared, four metal pillar emitting a blue light that kept him paralyzed on the ground. She wasn't sure if it was some kind of isolated gravity manipulator or a paralysis machine, but either way the caped hero was down for the count. Standing over him was the 'Guerilla Gorilla' they'd been hunting down, along with an unhappy tiger.

Without hesitation, she let out a war cry and charged at the gorilla, her clawed gauntlets curled into fists. She managed to get in at least two solid hits to the torso before he promptly backhanded her, sending her skittering backwards. Ski'Lira was largely unaffected by the blow, but it provided enough of a distraction for the tiger to leap at her.

Dodging the initial lunge of claws and teeth, she ducked and rolled to avoid the predator's onslaught. Landing gracefully in front of her, it batted at her with claws fully extended, and she barely managed to avoided having them rake across her thigh. So engrossed was she in trying not to be torn into ribbons by the large feline that she didn't notice the actions of the gorilla until it was too late. Ski'Lira looked up just in time to see a tree hurtling towards her, freshly ripped out of the ground.

Her attempt at avoiding it did not go well, and she ended up sprawled face first, the tree laying across her back. Luckily, her wings were extended and partially exposed, so there was little risk of injury to her feathered appendages. However, she was still _very_ trapped by the tree.

Ski'Lira was strong and she knew it. The last time she was tested, her maximum lift weight was clocked at around half of a ton. But the tree that the (most likely) genetically enhanced monkey had just tossed her was definitely over that by at least a hundred pounds, if not more. On top of that, she was trapped in far from an ideal lifting position. That didn't stop her from trying, especially since the gorilla clearly had something in mind for Captain Marvel.

As she struggled to free herself, she could only watch in frustration as the gorilla kept Captain Marvel subdued, dragging him off into the forest and off into the distance. Mere moments after they'd disappeared from sight and she'd redoubled her efforts to escape, a voice erupted in her mind.

" **Link established."** Miss Martian said coolly.

" **Should you really still be giving us orders?"** Artemis immediately piped up.

" **And should you really be following them?"** Miss Martian snapped back.

" **Listen,** _ **please**_ **."** Their leader interrupted, or at least attempted too.

Unfortunately for Kaldur, Kid Flash still seemed to be in a _mood_. **"Oh good, Aqualad's voice in my head. I've so missed that."**

Ski'Lira attempted to use her growing frustration to fuel her strength, but instead it was just making her _more_ distracted and making the task even more impossible. **"Hey, Kaldur."** Robin said. **"KF and I were attacked by giant vultures. 'Course, since we're moles, you probably think we attacked ourselves."**

" **If he did, he wouldn't tell you."** She could practically _feel_ Artemis' sneer over the link.

" **Superboy, are you online or just pouting?"** M'Gann asked.

The Kryptonian was just as helpful as the others. **"Busy, call back later."**

" **Hawkgirl?"**

Instead of answering the Martian's inquiry, she opted to address Kaldur directly. **"Aqualad, rendezvous to my location** _ **now**_ **."**

If he gave any kind of acknowledgement, it was swallowed up by another derisive comment from Kid Flash. **"What gets me is how nonchalant he is about telling us."**

At that point, Aqualad emerged from a nearby set of trees, eyes darting around the clearing before locking onto her trapped form. Ski'Lira ceased paying active attention to the mental link, vaguely registering an absurd amount of use of the word 'chalant'.

Curling his fingers under the tree, Aqualad's teeth gritted with exertion as he started to lift. Not one to sit idly by, she added her own strength into the mix, and soon the hefty weight was rolling off of her. Sticking out a hand which she took gratefully, Aqualad visually inspected her for injuries. "Are you alright?" He asked aloud.

"Fine." She insisted, and it was the truth, as she really wasn't hiding any injuries from him… this time. "But they took Captain Marvel. I tried to stop them, but-"

"You did your best." He swiftly assured. "I am just glad you were not taken too."

The jeering had gradually crescendoed until it became nearly unbearable, the voices sliding together so it was difficult to keep track of who was who. If they were there in person, this would be the time where she'd start resorting to physical violence.

" **Did he really think you or I could have been the mole?"**

" **We've known each other for years!"**

" **Trust is a two-way street."**

" **And you know they'd hate it if we kept secrets from them."**

" **Not that we'd do that."**

" **Never."**

" _ **Enough"**_

If she weren't so well-trained (and desensitized to scary people, mostly from growing up around Batman), she probably would have jumped at Kaldur's sudden cold tone. Face warped into an angry expression she'd never seen on him before, he grasped the nearest metal pillar with one hand, his fingers sinking into it like it was made of butter. Ripping it out of the ground with a cry, there was a small explosion of sparks.

She never thought she'd see the day where Kaldur snapped.

It's always the quiet ones that are scariest when they reach their breaking point.

" **Captain Marvel has been captured and we must act** _ **as a team**_ **to save him."** Aqualad demanded, and she couldn't help her small smile. Look at him go, he was finally coming into his own!

" **Hmph."** Kid Flash didn't seem to sense the threat. Honestly, she was probably the only one that did at this point, considering they couldn't see the fiery expression in his eyes or the obliterated contraption at his feet. **"Under your leadership? I don't think-"**

" **This is** _ **not**_ **up for debate."** Ski'Lira had to actively resist the urge to clap, opting to keep quiet and let Kaldur continue. **"You all chose me to lead. When the mission is over, if you wish it to be so, I will** _ **happily**_ **step down and allow Hawkgirl to take over as leader. But until that time,** _ **I**_ **am in command here."**

There was a beat of stunned silence, and she relished in the blessed quiet that they were granted with, at least temporarily. Hawkgirl decided to drive the point home, finally speaking up. **"And if one more person mentions the words 'traitor', 'mole', or 'chalant', so help me I will** _ **end you**_ **. Just like that** _ **goddamn**_ **gorilla that just tried to kill me with a** _ **tree**_ **. The bickering ends** _ **now**_ **."**

Aqualad shot her a grateful smile as his angry expression melted into his standard neutral one. "Thank you."

"It's what I'm here for." She pointed out. "Scary backup, remember?"

His brow furrowed a little. "I do not think you will be holding that position much longer, considering the circumstances."

Ski'Lira flared out her wings, taking to the air. "We'll see about that."

H

It was almost disappointing how comically easy it was to follow the trail Captain Marvel's captor had left behind. As she led them through the forest, Aqualad worked on coordinating with the rest of the team, so that they were all able to rendezvous together.

Hawkgirl held up a hand, stopping Aqualad in his tracks.

" **What is it?"** He asked over the link, as it was far too risky to speak aloud.

Giving an experimental sniff, she caught a distinct tang of metal and something else that definitely didn't belong in the middle of an uninhabited jungle.

" **Something up ahead."**

" **Be careful."** M'Gann urged.

Creeping forward, Ski'Lira made her way a little further forwards until she saw a much larger gap in the trees. Narrowing her eyes, she caught sight of the source of the unfamiliar scent.

It was an overgrown structure, made primarily of concrete that was in the process of being reclaimed by the vegetation of the jungle. But it was the large metal pylons ringing the building that gave her pause, as they appeared to be of similar make to the ones they had encountered earlier. Making her way to a nearby tree, she planted her clawed gauntlets in the bark and hauled herself up the trunk, stopping her ascent to crouch in the nook of a large branch, giving her a good vantage point.

" **Whoever is responsible for this, I'm positive that I've just located the base. There's new tech everywhere."** She informed the team.

" **What kind of tech?"** Kid Flash piped up, sounding a little eager at the prospect.

" **Not sure… They look a little different from the pillars I saw before, and they're surrounding the base like a perimeter fence."**

" **Is there any indication of who we may be facing?"** Aqualad asked.

Even though it was pointless (since they couldn't see her), she shook her head. **"Not that I can see."**

" **Then what's the plan?"**

There was a beat of silence after Robin spoke, but Aqualad quickly recovered and gave his order. **"Reconnaissance first, then we come up with a plan. We cannot risk going into this completely blind."**

H

Underneath her perch in her tree, Kid Flash and Robin were concealed by the brush, the latter with his holoscreen illuminated and the former utilizing the infrared function on his goggles.

" **I'll fly over."** M'Gann suggested form her own hiding spot in the tree next to the Thanagarian's, though she had the added benefit of turning herself invisible to completely avoid possible detection.

" **Negatory."** The resident speedster had a frown on his face as he peered towards the compounds. **"The field is stamped like a dome over the whole compound."**

" **Pylons are insulated, but one good shock** _ **could**_ **cause a momentary gap."** Robin added.

Ski'Lira was more than a little relieved that they'd returned to professional detachment rather than trading barbed insults and drawing attention away from the objective. Her enhanced eyes caught on something, an out of place square of metal near an alcove. **"There's a panel."**

" **I see it."** Artemis confirmed, her grey eyes locked on the mechanism as she nocked an arrow.

" **Then be ready to hit it. Be ready, all of you."** Sprinting near silently out of the undergrowth, Aqualad approached the perimeter alone. Holding his hands up with his palms out, his tattoos glowed with bright white light and he thrust his hands forward. Electricity sparked in front of him, and Hawkgirl was forced to immediately avert her eyes to avoid being blinded.

One of the pitfalls of night vision.

She heard more than saw the resulting effect, as Aqualad seemed to disrupt the field long enough for Artemis to fire a single arrow through at his call, disabling the control device and depowering the entire system.

Giving it a beat to make sure she wouldn't have to deal with anymore unexpected light surges, Hawkgirl snapped out her wings as Kid Flash sped over, and she took to the air alongside Miss Martian. No sooner had the members of the team gathered at the entrance than their next obstacle made an appearance.

Crouched on top of the roof, teeth bared, was a larger than average and clearly malformed macaque. It proceeded to open its toothy maw and screech at the top of its lungs. The call resounded through the clearing before amplifying as it was joined by a slew of its fellows, an entire horde of macaques rising to the challenge. In tandem, red lights flashed on that seared into Hawkgirl's vision as a droning high-pitched alarm went off.

Needless to say, the sudden influx of ocular and auditory stimuli briefly overwhelmed her. The horde jumped down and targeted the members of her team. Flying up into the air, Hawkgirl gave herself a few moments to clear her head a little. Fighting while disoriented was never pretty. Thankfully, she was able to get ahold of herself quickly.

"Remove their collars!" Aqualad shouted, trying his best to be heard above the cacophony.

"Sounds easy when he says it." Robin griped, and he was promptly tackled to the ground by two of the macaques. Just _one_ of them was nearly the same size as him.

Her wits fully regained, Hawkgirl folded in her wings and dive bombed straight towards the struggling Robin, snapping out her wings at the last second and slamming her booted feet straight into his attackers. The force and shock of the attack sent them prostrate on the ground, dazed. Hawkgirl didn't hesitate, landing on the ground next to them and ripping the collars off with her bare hands.

Robin flung two birdarangs once he was back on his feet, aiming them just past Artemis, who was very nearly attacked by two more macaques. Both of the projectiles hit their mark, freeing two more animals from whoever (or whatever) was controlling them.

The sound of impact drew Hawkgirl's attention, just in time to see Kid Flash being flung by the beret-wearing gorilla. Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of her quarry. She cracked her knuckles and neck from side to side before sprinting at full tilt towards the big ape.

Slamming her shoulder into his torso, she managed to disrupt his balance just enough to snag one of his wrists and reach down and snag his ankle with her other hand. Clawed fingertips digging into the stringy fur and pressing into the tough flesh beneath, she gritted her teeth and let out a resounding war cry as she forced his body to the side and off the ground. Keeping up with the momentum, she swung around and around, grip tight as she executed a perfect hammer throw with a five hundred pound male gorilla.

Releasing him at the apex of the swing, she watched with more than a little glee as his body careened into the concrete wall of the base. She saw Miss Martian's hand shoot up and her eyes glowed, no doubt adding a little extra oomph to increase the force (most likely she had also been the one keeping the gorilla from breaking out of her hold as she prepared to throw him). The combined conclusion of their efforts resulted in a gaping hole in the side of the building, giving them an easy entrance point.

Hawkgirl and Miss Martian exchanged a wordless high five as they led the way into the gloomy building.

Whatever money their mysterious villain had definitely went into outfitting the interior of the base. The entire place was renovated into an oddly lit laboratory, equipment positioned carefully all around the space. The centerpiece was the metal lab table surrounded by machines, with the trapped form of Captain Marvel splayed across its surface. No sooner had they made their grand entrance than they finally found themselves face to face with the culprit.

Well… face to electronic face. Face to jar?

"It's the Brain!" Kid Flash shouted, a little unnecessarily.

"Uh, I can _see_ it's a brain." Okay, so apparently it was necessary, as Artemis had no clue who they were looking at right now.

"Not _a_ brain, _The_ Brain."

The mobile mastermind approached his enforcer, who had staggered to his feet, his fur splattered with concrete dust and small chunks of debris. "In the flesh, so to speak… Mallah."

Retrieving a remote, Mallah (which was apparently the gorilla's name) pressed a button. A series of pylons erupted from the ground, completely surrounding them and promptly activating. Blue light rippled inwards, washing over them and forcing them all to the ground.

It was a good thing that they had a plan… and a telepathic link.

" **Miss Martian, Superboy,** _ **now**_ **."**

At Kaldur's signal, M'Gann used her telekinesis to snatch the remote out of Mallah's grasp, gaining control of the device herself and deactivating the device keeping them hostage. They all leapt to their feet as the wall behind Mallah exploded, flooding the room with even _more_ debris. Superboy was framed in the newly made hole, an enlarged white wolf at his side like a faithful hound.

Hawkgirl was immediately besotted. Conner had given them a rough description of his companion, but it hadn't prepared her for the reality of the deadly predator. Said predator let out a snarl as it ran straight at Mallah, jumping and tackling the gorilla to the ground. She dismissed all thoughts about the beast, instead focusing on taking down Mallah.

" **We take him down as a team."** Hawkgirl ordered, acting in Kaldur's stead as he was fending off the Brain to attempt to get to Captain Marvel. **"One at a time, strike hard, strike fast, then dodge. On my mark."**

Kid Flash followed her direction, zooming over and executing a perfect leap attack of his own, striking the gorilla in the chest a well-placed kick, before he sped out of the way.

Swinging over the gorilla via a grapple hook attached to the ceiling, Robin nailed Mallah in the jaw with a kick of his own.

Miss Martian merely lifted a hand and levitated the ape, before slamming him onto the ground.

Superboy took the simple approach, merely running in and aiming a punch. But mere moments after his hit landed, the gorilla managed to aim his Gatling gun, blasting the Kryptonian straight in the chest and sending him flying backwards.

While he focused fire on Superboy, Hawkgirl swooped in behind, managing to land a heavy blow to the back of the ape's neck. But instead of taking him down, it only made him focus on _her_ instead. She was promptly forced to fly out of range and dodge a hail of gunfire.

Twisting around and avoiding the bullets, she managed to catch sight of Artemis and Robin sneaking behind Mallah. The archer loosed a well-placed arrow at the mechanism on his back as Robin aimed a birdarang at the gun itself. The two projectiles made the Gatling gun practically fall apart around the gorilla.

Meanwhile, Aqualad had managed to dodge the lasers long enough to get to the captured hero, breaking off his restraining collar and freeing him.

"Thanks!" Captain Marvel said happily, rubbing at his wrists. "Now, one good turn deserves another." Without a beat of hesitation, he kneeled down and removed the collar from the tiger crouched at his feet.

The team had managed to surround Mallah, and the big gorilla knew that he was in a bad position. He let out a challenging roar, his master sitting quietly beside him.

"Try it." Superboy crossed his arms. "I hate monkeys."

Hawkgirl immediately tamped down the urge to correct him, this was neither the time nor place. Instead, she just answered Mallah's roar with a low growl of her own.

"No, Mallah." The Brain spoke up, sounding almost bored. "This will not be our Waterloo." His metallic body proceeded to unfold, revealing red tinted machinery underneath that she couldn't even begin to fathom the purpose of. "Au revoir, mes amis."

"Get down!" Apparently Kid Flash had some inkling of what was about to happen, so they all braced.

But then the lights snapped off.

It took a second for Hawkgirl's night vision to kick in, and she _knew_ she was the only one that had any possibility of stopping Mallah and Brain as they very clearly began to retreat. (The others technically possessed the capacity to do the same, namely Aqualad's own night vision, Miss Martian's telepathic sensing, and Superboy's enhanced senses, but she was the only one in a prime position to stop the retreat and she was the only one that had processed the distinct lack of explosive devices first. She had no idea how, but she was.)

With a snarl, she surged forward, only for Mallah to deck her straight in the face. So much for her moment of heroism.

When the lights switched back on ten seconds later, everyone was exactly where they had been, except for Ski'Lira. She was crouched on the ground on all fours, one hand pressed to a profusely bleeding nose.

"Wait, that big weapon thing was a light switch?" Kid Flash asked incredulously.

"I _hate_ that damn gorilla." Hawkgirl lamented.

H

As she watched the rest of the team from her perch, Hawkgirl kept a wad of gauze pressed firmly to her face. Her nose wasn't _broken_ , but it was a very near thing. Instead, the nosebleed was just annoying more than anything else. The gauze was courtesy of Robin, who had swiftly intervened when she tried to use the hem of her shirt to stem the blood flow.

"What are you grinning about?" Artemis asked Kid Flash as they made their way to the bioship.

The redhead promptly whipped out Mallah's stolen beret, popping it onto his head. "One word, _souvenir._ "

"Two words." Artemis said as she picked up her pace. "Gorilla lice."

It took a moment for that to register, but Kid Flash immediately ripped it off his head once he did, holding it as physically far away from him as he could. "Oh man!"

Next to the bioship, Kaldur snapped the last collar off the only remaining trapped animal, one of the macaques. Captain Marvel was crouched down next to the tiger that he'd befriended during his captivity, which he could apparently speak to. "That's the last of the collars?" The tiger gave an affirming roar. "And I can count on you to keep the other animals out of trouble?" A growl. "Good." He gave the tiger one last round of petting. "I'll be back for a visit, I promise."

Content with the assurance (and the pats), the tiger bounded off as Captain Marvel waved. Once the feline was out of sight, Captain Marvel spoke his mind. "I think I'll call him Mr. Tawny."

Meanwhile, Conner was dealing with his own tagalong. Kneeling in front of the wolf, Superboy seemed unwilling to stop petting him. "The rest of the pack is gone, what are you still doing here?"

"I think he wants to stay with you." M'Gann suggested kindly.

He looked at her, hope in his eyes. "Can I keep him?"

Damn. Ski'Lira would never admit it aloud, but Conner was absolutely adorable. There was no way any of them could say no to _that_ (and anyone who did would receive a swift punch in the face).

"Ha!" Kid Flash crowed. "First the sphere, now this beast? Dude, you sure make a habit of collecting strays."

"Maybe because he's such a stray himself." M'Gann offered, settling down on the ground next to the black haired teen and putting a hand on his shoulder, clearly in the midst of a telepathic conversation. It seemed that the two had managed to iron out their issues.

Which was a relief, because Hawkgirl thought she'd have to give Conner a talk about respecting women and treating them equally, but that didn't seem to be the problem here. Bullet dodged.

Though she supposed she _could_ have passed that along to Black Canary, just to make the lesson sink in more.

But that was all moot now anyway, though she kept that in mind in case something similar ever came up later.

"Well, he's gonna need a name." Kid Flash piped up, getting the couple's attention. "How about Krypto?"

"Pass." Superboy denied it immediately.

"Besides, isn't that taken?" M'Gann pointed out.

Putting his hands on his hips, Kid Flash angled his head upwards towards Ski'Lira. "HG, are you ever going to get down from there? You know we can't take him with us."

Hawkgirl let out a grumble. "Superboy gets to keep _his_ dog." With the greatest of reluctance, Hawkgirl dropped down from the head of the mutated bull elephant. She stroked his trunk a few more times, savoring these last few moments she had left with him. "Farewell, Great T'Phon. I hope you and Berilia live well."

"Great, she named them." Wally griped. "Now she's _never_ gonna let this go."

Hawkgirl whipped her head towards him while she kept petting Great T'Phon. "They are to be great guardians of this forest and protectors of their pack, they _deserve_ to have names."

Great T'Phon gave her one last nudge with his trunk before he trundled off towards Berilia, the two elephants disappearing back into the jungle.

With everyone gathered back by the bioship (plus their new companion), Robin caught Aqualad's attention, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. He had been unusually quiet since the lab. "Look, I need to know… Why did you keep the mole intel a secret?"

Aqualad set his jaw. "The source of the tip was Sportsmaster."

Artemis was the first to react, every movement of her body betraying her shock and vehemence. "What?! You can't trust him!"

"I do not." The Atlantean insisted. "It seemed possible, even likely, that he was attempting to divide the team with false information."

"And given how this mission went, he nearly succeeded." Robin admitted. "But you had to consider it might be true."

"Yes, as leader, I did. In which case, I did not wish to alert the traitor."

There was a pause, but then Robin was finally smiling again, something that Hawkgirl hadn't seen since the med bay the night before. "Hate to say it, but… makes sense."

"I am still prepared to step down."

Kid Flash interrupted. "All in favor of keeping Aqualad as leader?"

Everyone on the team raised their hands with certainty.

Captain Marvel headed over, clapping the team leader on the shoulder. "Guess it's unanimous." Shaking Aqualad's hand, he gave them a last wide grin. "See you tomorrow!"

"You're not coming back with us?" Aqualad asked.

"Nope, gotta fly!" Without further preamble, Captain Marvel took off, disappearing quickly into the wild blue yonder.

At that point, they were all more than ready to follow Captain Marvel's lead and leave India.

"So, what are you gonna call him?" Miss Martian asked as she and Superboy boarded the bioship.

"What's wrong with Wolf?"

"Generic, but acceptable." Wally accepted Conner's pick, not that he really had a choice in the matter anyway.

"Thank you." Aqualad's quiet words stopped Hawkgirl in her tracks, and she turned to face him, leaving them the only two outside the ship.

"For what?" She prompted.

"Trusting me."

Hawkgirl took a moment to properly word her response. "I distrusted your loyalty once, believed that you held us all in low regard and did not care for us, and yet you proved me wrong. I would be a fool to make such a mistake again." She offered him a smile and a tip of her head before she made her way inside, more than ready to head home, and more than a little proud that Kaldur'ahm had finally come into his own.

* * *

This chapter in a nutshell

Batman: "Can you all _not almost die_ for ten minutes?"

Artemis: *Almost drowns again*

Skylar: "We are children!"

Captain Marvel: "As a definitely real adult, I can confirm that."

Superboy: "I've known Wolf for an hour, but if anything happened to him, I'd kill everyone on the Team and then myself."

Skylar: *Singing* "I want to see my little boy" *Elephant crashes through the trees* "Here he comes. I want to see my little boy."

As always, I highly appreciate your feedback! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, because I liked writing it. Well, it was a little frustrating (mostly because everyone being mad at Kaldur _for no reason_ is just so _infuriating_ ), but let me tell you, getting to write Captain Marvel made it all worth it.

Love that boy. Definitely gonna write a Captain Marvel-centric chapter.


	20. Please Feed the Alligators

I haven't responded to comments directly in a bit, so I'm gonna do that!

 **Aky2:** First of all, this was probably one of the few times in my life I've gotten a chance to actually _use_ the four years of Spanish I took in school. Second, I haven't watched season three yet so I don't have an opinion on the entirety of it, but I do think that Aqualad's new relationship status is pretty neat. Aqualad really deserves to be happy after all he's been through and it's awesome that he found someone that cares about him and vice versa.

 **ADDBaby:** Oh, your passionate reviews always warm my heart and bring a smile to my face. I'm glad I could bring you joy. And come on, like I wasn't going to drop at least _one_ Tarzan reference. It would have been such a waste.

 **Stopdropanroll:** Let me tell you, trying to tweak the dialogue so that _Skylar_ didn't come across as irritating as everyone else was a trial and a half. The exchange between her and Kaldur about stepping up as a leader went through at least three rewrites before I was happy with it.

 **Hoodedgenius98:** It's a little weird. But I can't but help but imagine one of the Leaguers (let's say Batman) looking dramatically out of the window of the Watchtower, looking down at the Earth, only to see an elephant just _rocketing_ off into space. He doesn't know how, but he _knows_ that somehow the kids were responsible for it.

 **Aquila Aqua:** I mean, Superboy did the same thing, but because Wolf is "Of an acceptable size" and "Easier to take care of" and "Probably won't accidentally crush someone to death", he gets to keep him.

* * *

MOUNT JUSTICE  
OCTOBER 1ST, 2010  
18:13 EDT

" _Recognized: Hawkgirl, B07"_

Skylar practically tumbled through the zeta tube, though she quickly covered up the slight shakiness of her limbs by continuing to stride forwards. Her moment of weakness had seemingly gone unnoticed. Aqualad and Robin were in the midst of a fierce hand to hand spar, so she made her way over to the two supervising adults, Zatara and Captain Marvel (the latter of whom was steadily munching on a donut with brightly colored frosting).

Zatara raised a brow at her. "You're late." She could tell from the quirk of his lips that he was merely teasing her. "Aqualad had to take your place training with Robin."

"I got… held up." Ski'Lira rolled her neck from side to side, relishing in the stretch. "Building collapse."

"Oh man." Captain Marvel's voice was muffled by the large chunk of donut in his mouth. He hastily swallowed. "Is everyone okay?"

"… Sure."

"Are… _you_ okay?"

"Fine."

She may or may not have been strongly censoring both of her responses, and judging by the narrowing of the old magician's eyes, her attempt at deflecting hadn't been one hundred percent effective.

The building collapse had been… bad, totaling three casualties, four in critical condition, and twelve moderate to minor injuries. She'd spent almost two solid hours lifting rubble and pulling victims from the debris. An investigation had already been opened up for the construction company highly suspected to be at fault, which was _also_ responsible for several more buildings in St. Roch. It was a messy situation that was far from over, but she'd done all she could for now.

Physically, she was unhurt, just _really_ tired. More than anything she wanted to just go back home and sleep for a month. But it wasn't meant to be. Once she'd finished giving her statement to the police, she'd hightailed it towards the nearest zeta point. She didn't even have time to change into casual clothes, so she remained in her dirty, bloodstained, and slightly ripped uniform.

Aqualad and Robin's simulation came to an end as Conner, M'Gann, and Wolf emerged from the hallway leading to the hangar. The couple were caught up in each other's presence, presumably chatting telepathically.

Aqualad moved to stand near Hawkgirl, and he offered a slight nod of greeting before he brushed some rubble off of her shoulder. Robin sidled up to the both of them. "You know they're a couple, right?" He whispered to the Atlantean.

"I believe I knew before they did." Aqualad replied, a small smile on his face.

"At least you didn't have to help one of them figure out their _feelings_." Ski'Lira made a face, which in turn made Dick let out a quiet cackle.

The trio's attention was drawn away from the happy couple to Artemis and Wally as they came from the lounge hallway.

"Do we tell them?" Robin asked.

"It is not our place." Aqualad answered solemnly, a slight note of warning in his tone, dissuading the Boy Wonder from doing anything.

And she _knew_ that Dick had more than a few plans stocked up. He'd texted her about it two days ago while he was trying to wind down from patrol.

Her response had been 'Let them figure out their own problems and go the hell to sleep.'

"So, if Zatara is our babysitter for the week…" Wally began once he was close enough to be heard, pointing at Captain Marvel. "Why's he still here? And why's he eating my snacks?"

Nonplussed, Captain Marvel just kept munching away.

Any more accusations that the speedster could have made were lost as the zeta tube activated.

" _Recognized: Batman, 02"_

Batman strode swiftly out of the tube, his posture screaming 'trouble'. "Computer, national news."

A large rectangular screen popped into life, hovering over them as it switched to the requested channel. Cat Grant, looking more than a little frantic, stood in the middle of a street reporting live from Metropolis. _"The initial attack was short-lived."_ The video cut away from the blonde woman to an overhead shot of absolutely massive plants towering over and wrapping around skyscrapers. _"But Metropolis was only ranted a short reprieve."_ One of the buildings was crushed like an empty soda can, crumbling down to the ground in a shower of rubble.

" _Despite the intervention of Superman and the Justice League, there seems to be no end in sight."_ Footage trailed Superman as he saved two people stranded on the roof of a building mere moments before they were taken down with the structure as it collapsed.

The video shifted, now focused on Hawkwoman as she hit a vine full force with her mace, John Stewart following up with a blast of energy from his ring that sliced it apart. Hawkman appeared from off frame, hitting a tendril so hard that the tip popped off.

She knew her parents had been called out suddenly on League Business, but she had no idea _this_ was why.

"Should we get out there?" Robin asked, saying what they were all thinking.

Batman turned to them. "No. The League will soon have the situation under control. That's not why I'm here." A slight gesture of his hand summoned a holographic screen just behind him, bearing the image of a familiar masked visage. "According to your intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus' Blockbuster formula to Kobra."

"Who combined it with Bane's Venom to create Kobra Venom." Wally continued.

"Which the brain used to create his animal army." Robin added.

"And upgrade Wolf." Conner reached over and scratched the massive white wolf under his chin, making the beast's tail sweep lazily from side to side on the ground.

M'Gann perched a hand on her chin, thoughtful. "The Brain also used inhibitor collars like the ones at the penitentiary."

"Batman…" Artemis' brow was furrowed. "Is it possible that plant thing's on Kobra Venom too?"

The Dark Knight didn't reply right away, instead gesturing again so that a holo-keyboard appeared in front of him. "I had Green Lantern run a spot analysis." After a few key presses, a diagram of the chemical makeup of the plants appeared, replacing the picture of Sportsmaster. "Divine cellulose does contain trace amounts of a Kobra Venom variant."

"These cannot be coincidences." Aqualad mused. "Unrelated criminals are cooperating with one another worldwide."

Robin pulled up his own keyboard, his fingers flying across the screen.

"Exactly." Batman confirmed their suspicions succinctly. "It's now clear our enemies have formed some kind of… secret society of super villains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning."

Hawkgirl was pretty sure that this was supposed to be _bad_ news, but she couldn't help but be thrilled at the prospect. If she were anyone else, she would be practically vibrating with excitement. M'Gann seemed to pick up on her surface thoughts, as she looked over her shoulder and shot her a _look_.

Hawkgirl offered a shrug and a smirk.

"You got that right." Robin seemed to find whatever he was looking for, as more screens popped up, showing feeds from multiple sources. "Plant creatures have sprouted in Gotham City, Paris, Star City, Taipei-"

A harsh noise made all of those with sensitive hearing cringe slightly as the screen fizzled into static.

"Dude!" Wally admonished.

Robin's typing speed increased as his mouth turned into a displeased frown. "It's not me. Someone's cutting in the satellite signal. _All_ satellite signals."

The answer to the question of who exactly had _that_ kind of power was provided a moment later as The Joker popped on screen, physically knocking on the camera lens to create a dull thud. Hawkgirl didn't miss the way Robin's shoulders tensed.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this important announcement!"_ Reaching out, the mad clown physically moved the camera, panning over a small gathering of villains. _"From the Injustice League! Ha ha haaa!"_

Count Vertigo took over, his accent thick and face schooled into a neutral expression. _"We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them, a ransom of ten billion American dollars is required._ " The number gave Ski'Lira pause, as it seemed a little… stingy, considering they were a global threat. _"Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit. But the longer your governments wait…"_

Joker turned the camera back on himself, manic grin in full force. _"The more we get to have our jollies! Ha ha haaa!"_

Just as the feed cut off, Batman's hand moved to his ear as his comm activated. "Roger that, Aquaman. The UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback, but it won't come to that."

Meanwhile, Robin hadn't ceased typing through the entire broadcast. He easily pulled the video back up, rewinding it before pausing on a frame of the villain lineup. "Count Vertigo, The Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra-Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Wotan… _Seven_ heavy hitters. Probably behind nearly everyone and everything we've faced."

"There's your secret society." Wally gestured to the screen.

"Not so secret anymore." Artemis corrected, a stern set to her mouth.

"Perhaps after India they realized we would deduce the truth and saw no point in hiding any longer." Aqualad posed, and it did sound like a logical conclusion.

Though the motivations still seemed… off.

Ski'Lira couldn't put her finger on it, but there were some things that just didn't quite match up. Like the Brain's involvement, for one. And Klarion. Before she could speak her thoughts aloud, Wally interrupted.

"Yeah. That was their mistake. Right now I say we go kick some plant creature butt!" He pumped a fist into the air.

"The Justice League will handle the plants." Batman shut that down swiftly and brutally. "I have a different job for this team."

"Aw _man_." Quick as a viper, Artemis punched him _hard_ in the arm, making him wince.

"With the plants attacking so many locations simultaneously, there must be a central control system. Your mission is to destroy it."

Zatara moved to stand near Batman, a displeased expression on his face. "You realize what you're _really_ asking them to do?"

"They're ready."

"Ready?" The resident speedster blurted out. "Ready for what?" Artemis hit him in the arm again, hitting the exact same spot. "Ow! Will you cut that out?!"

" _Hello_ , Wally!" The blonde huffed. "If the big guns are fighting _plants_ , who do you think _we'll_ be fighting?!"

"I don't know, I guess we'll-" Artemis pointed at the screen. "… Ohhhhh."

Zatara let out the smallest of sighs. "Well Batman, I trust you're correct."

"I trust you can locate the enemy?" The vigilante requested.

"Indeed. Wotan's informants suggest sorcery is part of how the plants are controlled. Robin, if you will provide a holomap? I'll search for signs of concentrated sorcerous activity."

At the old magician's request, Robin pulled up a large blue globe in their midst. Zatara approached with his hands held palm out, and he proceeded to start an incantation. There was a moment where nothing happened, until a glowing red dot appeared on the surface. From where she was standing, Hawkgirl couldn't see the exact location, only that it was somewhere around North America.

"There, that is where you will find the Injustice League's central control system."

"Coordinates locked in." Robin announced. "The Louisiana Bayou"

Ski'Lira felt like she'd been punched straight in the chest. Her breath stilled as her eyes widened (though they remained hidden behind the lenses of her helmet). It was remarkable how three words had torn through her legendary resting bitch face so easily.

"We are on our way." Aqualad affirmed.

And like that, the Team was moving. Going through the process of changing out her shirt and pants into clean, intact replacements gave her time to reign her emotions back in and try to rationalize the situation.

It wasn't until they were on the bio-ship and en route to Louisiana that someone broke the silence.

"Are you going to be okay?" Superboy's question made Hawkgirl look up from her study of a detailed map of the Bayou courtesy of the console in front of her, unsure who he was speaking to until she saw he was staring directly at her.

"I'm fine." She insisted. "Why?"

"Well, we're going… you know." He made a vague gesture with his hand. "Doesn't that worry you?"

"Um… What exactly is going on?" Artemis spoke up, looking between the two of them.

"Is our fearless Thanagarian _worried_?" Kid Flash teased (though there was a concerned look in his eyes).

Hawkgirl realized then that none of them would let the matter drop. "It's close to St. Roch." She answered, looking back down at the map again. The glowing red dot was far too close to her hometown for comfort. "It… does worry me. Slightly. I'm mostly upset that they managed to settle so close and neither I nor my parents _noticed_."

"Hey, we're going to take care of them, okay?" Miss Martian assured.

"Yeah!" Kid Flash agreed. "We'll get rid of those pests on your home turf easy peasy! Who knows? Maybe the alligators will have eaten them by the time we get there!"

Hawkgirl huffed out a laugh through her nose at the mental image. If only. "I have no doubt we will succeed. And I suppose their location makes some logical sense. It's very easy to hide in the Bayou." With a press of a button, the map she had been looking at was streamed to everyone else's screens. "This is where they are. And this is the nearest settlement, a hamlet that specializes in fishing, gator hunting, and fan boat tours." She made a marker that was a significant distance away. "It's no wonder they remained undiscovered for so long, especially if they're making use of Wotan's gift in the magical arts."

"Are there any… possible dangers we should be aware of?" Aqualad twisted himself as much as his seat would allow to look back at her. "You have fought in this type of terrain often, yes?"

She made a hum of agreement, considering for a moment. "It won't be too dissimilar to fighting in a jungle, though the ground is far more treacherous. It's usually a fifty-fifty chance if what you _think_ is solid ground is _actually_ solid. And the water's always deeper than you expect it to be, so caution is key."

"We will remain vigilant… for more than one reason." Seemingly satisfied with the answer to his inquiry, Aqualad lapsed into silence.

That was when Wally loudly cleared his throat. "So, anyone else think it's weird how the _Joker_ is part of this… super-secret villain team?"

"It's definitely weird." Robin agreed without hesitation. "He doesn't really… play well with others. A few months ago he 'teamed up' with Black Mask… let's just say it wasn't pretty. Actually…" He trailed off for a second. "I've only ever seen Poison Ivy team up with Harley Quinn and Catwoman."

"Ultra-Humanite only cooperates with other villains to meet his own agenda, so who knows what the heck is going on there." Wally crossed his arms as he settled back against his seat.

"… I hate monkeys." Conner murmured, the first verbal input he'd provided in a while.

"Technically an ape." Robin corrected. "Anyway, none of these guys really seem like 'team' material."

"Neither does Batman." Hawkgirl pointed out.

"… Okay, fair."

BAYOU BARTHOLOMEW  
OCTOBER 1ST, 2010  
18:32 CDT

What _should_ have been a nearly silent, tension-riddled atmosphere as they flew over Bayou Bartholomew was somewhat ruined by Kid Flash chewing loudly as he hastily devoured a banana. Mouth still full, he got Aqualad's attention. "Forgot to ask earlier, what's in the duffel?"

"Plan B" Their leader replied coolly, offering no further explanation.

Hawkgirl and Miss Martian were the only two who actually knew the contents of Plan B, though she had her suspicions that Robin had figured it out.

Plan B was a hastily slapped together plan they'd come up with before they left, a sort of safety net if things went _really_ wrong.

Her agreement had been reluctant, but in the end, Hawkgirl went along with it.

Mostly because of Plan C.

Miss Martian suddenly cringed, her hand flying to her forehead as her eyes scrunched up. "Ugh."

"You all right?" Conner's attention immediately snapped to her.

"Dizzy"

"Martians get airsick?" Robin asked.

The speedster tilted his head slightly. "She does look a bit greener than usual."

"Not me." M'Gann snapped back. " _Her_."

"I feel fine?" Artemis seemed highly confused.

"Not _you_. The bioship. She's trying to shield us, but-"

That was all the warning they received before the ship suddenly went haywire, jerking back and forth in a chaotic pattern. A massive force slammed into the underside of the ship, sending it careening straight down towards the water of the bayou, where it proceeded to skip across the surface of the water like a stone. The ship didn't halt until one of the wings wedged deeply into the mud.

They had just barely managed to recover from the unexpected amusement park ride and were clambering out of their seats when a hole was torn in the room, revealing the perpetually scowling face of Black Adam.

M'Gann doubled over in pain, just barely managing to screech out, "He's hurting her!"

Superboy lunged upwards, slamming his fist straight into Black Adam's face and sending him flying away. However, the sudden opposing force sent the ship sinking down further into the bayou, and water poured through the newly opened hole in a torrent.

Hawkgirl felt a frantic tap on her shoulder and turned to see Robin, who was holding a rebreather in his outstretched hand, his own already in his mouth. She gave him an acknowledging nod as she took it and popped it between her teeth.

"No. No _way_ I'm nearly drowning three missions in a row." Artemis grumbled, donning her own rebreather before offering KF one of her backups. Ski'Lira knew for a fact that Artemis had made it standard to always carry three in her utility belt. The archer was taking _zero_ chances when it came to potential drowning anymore.

Wally took the rebreather with a stunned look on his face. "Wow, uh… thanks."

"M'Gann, we need to get out." Superboy said. "Open a hatch."

The Martian's face screwed up in concentration, before she slapped herself in the forehead in an all too familiar gesture. "Hello, M'Gann! Of course!" She slightly tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck to display the newly formed gills she shifted for herself, before promptly diving to the bottom. As she did so, Hawkgirl felt a familiar press in her mind as the mental link was established.

Just in time too, as the cabin completely filled with water.

At Miss Martian's direction, a hole opened up in the bottom of the bioship.

" **Out, everyone out!"** Aqualad's command came over the link clearly, and he was the first one to exit, leading the way.

It was a short distance to the shore, but just as Hawkgirl had forewarned, the water was deeper than expected. Everyone kept an easy pace behind the Atlantean, with even Wolf swimming confidently through the slightly murky water. The second she made it ashore, her booted feet sinking slightly into the spongy ground, she shook out her wings to rid them off the excess moisture. If they weren't just as soaked through as she was from the swim, Hawkgirl probably would have received some glares from her teammates.

The group moved forward into a small copse of trees, looking on as the bioship was fully dragged underwater by thick green tendrils strongly resembling the plants attacking the globe.

If that wasn't a sign they were in the right place, she didn't know what was.

"She's in shock." M'Gann informed them quietly. "She'll need time to recover."

Out of nowhere, they were all struck by a wave of overwhelming dizziness, forcing them to the ground. Hawkgirl was strongly reminded of the gravity traps in India, albeit far more nausea-inducing. She let out a growl of frustration as the cause approached them.

"Vertigo." Kid Flash spat.

" _Count_ Vertigo to you, peasant." The villain corrected with a sneer, dropping his power in the process.

Superboy was the first to manage to clamber to his feet, only to be swiftly knocked back down by Black Adam. Aqualad reacted next, using water from the bayou around him to drive Vertigo back and keep him from using his abilities again.

" **Robin, Miss Martian, Hawkgirl, disappear."** Aqualad ordered over the mind link. **"We will keep them busy. You three fulfill the mission objective."**

Hawkgirl nodded at him once before flinging herself into the tree line.

H

" **I blocked contact with Aqualad and the others. Should we-"**

" **Sorry, that's not the gig. This is."** Robin tore away the last bit of foliage blocking their path, revealing a looming, dome-shaped building with a thick glass roof. An organic growth identical to the ones plaguing the globe sprouted from the top like some kind of Lovecraftian decoration. **"The Injustice League central control system. Looks like that plant is acting as an antenna to control the other plants worldwide."**

The sound of someone approaching from behind drew Hawkgirl's attention, and she spun around and drew her mace in time to see Poison Ivy.

"Well, hello." She greeted with a smile. In a flash, all three of them were bound up by vines and thrust a good fifteen feet in the air before being held there. Hawkgirl immediately started to struggle, but her arms were shoved into an awkward position she had to fight against.

Poison Ivy wasn't alone, Ultra-Humanite stepping up beside her, bearing a heavily modded gun that he trained on them.

"And goodbye." Ivy finished, smile unwavering.

Miss Martian's eyes glowed just as Ultra-Humanite pulled the trigger, and the projectiles that left the barrel sped towards the base of the vines, rather than directly at their faces. Explosive shells ripped through the vegetation, burning and charring through and freeing the young heroes.

Or at least, two of them.

Hawkgirl's own vine hadn't took a full hit, so it was weakened rather than outright destroyed, leaving her temporarily trapped. With sheer brute force, she pushed the vine outwards and slipped out between them. Before she could hit the ground, she flared out her wings and took flight, scanning the newfound battlefield for her teammates.

Miss Martian seemed to be fine on her own, easily evading Ultra-Humanite, so she turned her attention to Robin.

He had run off further into the bayou, dodging attacks from more of Ivy's vines. "Sorry, Boy Wonder," the female villain was taunting. "I'm putting an end to your little reconnaissance mission."

Hawkgirl swooped down towards Ivy, her mace ready to strike, only to be grabbed by around the middle by another plant. She resigned herself to tearing her way out of another unpleasant hug, only to find herself dropped onto a strangely spongey surface. Ski'Lira had roughly three seconds to realize exactly what she'd been dropped into before the jaws of a massive, Venus Flytrap-esque monstrosity snapped shut around her.

"Fine." She growled to herself, putting her mace back on her belt and cracking her knuckles. "If that's how you want to play, _let's play_."

Letting out a war cry, she lunged forwards, clawed gauntlets held out in front of her. The razor sharp tips dug into verdant flesh, rending large chunks that oozed abnormally hued chlorophyll. If it possessed vocal chords, it would probably be screeching. The first major tear she created caused water to trickle in and start filling the makeshift prison. Great, the thing had taken her underwater.

Roughly fifteen seconds later, a green-streaked Hawkgirl burst out of the flytrap like one of the monsters from Alien and started to swim upwards.

When she surfaced, she spit a mixture of the green fluid and bayou water out of her mouth, incredibly thankful for her near-immunity to Terran toxins and diseases. She _did not_ want to know what would have happened if the Kobra-laced cellulose actually affected her system, or whatever bacteria was swimming around in the water. It wouldn't have been pretty either way, that's for sure.

" **Robin, Hawkgirl."** Miss Martian's voice sounded off in her head.

" **Artemis?"** Robin asked.

" **No."**

Hawkgirl looked up to see Wotan flying through the air courtesy of his magic, bearing a glowing orange cage behind him that contained the rest of their teammates. Black Adam trailed behind, with Count Vertigo riding on top of the cage.

And that's when the bioship careened straight into the procession, taking out Wotan and causing the cage to dissipate as his concentration was broken. His captives tumbled down into the bayou, landed near a reconvened Ultra-Humanite and Poison Ivy.

" **Rendezvous back at the dome, we're not going to get a better distraction than this."** Hawkgirl ordered as she ducked back underwater so as to skirt around the commotion (as much as she wanted to join the fight, she had a more important job right now).

Soon, she found herself standing alongside Miss Martian and Robin one more.

" **You'll need these."** Robin was saying as she approached, handing M'Gann a stack of birdarangs.

" **Want a lift?"** Hawkgirl offered, earning herself an enthusiastic grin in response.

Taking to the air, Hawkgirl hovered a few feet off the ground and held out her hands. Like the well-practiced trapeze artist he was, Robin easily leapt up and snagged one of her wrists in a tight grip, leaving one of his hands free. From there, it was just a matter of flying up towards the mother plant, with Miss Martian pursuing.

Starting from the top, Hawkgirl flew around in a spiral pattern as Robin used his free hand to lob birdarangs. Miss Martian followed behind, throwing her own ammunition using her telekinesis at the spots they missed.

In the end, the twisted plant looked like some kind of warped Christmas tree.

The trio landed on a relatively safe spot at the base of the "tree". It was then that Poison Ivy finally noticed them, her beautiful features contorting into a horrified look.

Robin activated the explosives, and the area around them erupted into fire and flaming chunks of plant matter. Hawkgirl curled her wings behind her two friends like a makeshift shield, both keeping debris off of them and blocking the flames from M'Gann's direct view.

"Timber." Robin deadpanned.

Letting out a horrified screech, Ivy sent a slew of vines in their direction, only for M'Gann to easily disintegrate them with her telekinesis. In the Martian's moment of diverted attention, a beam of energy shot out from behind them and nailed her straight in the back, sending her tumbling off of the half-destroyed roof.

Jerking her head around, Hawkgirl caught a single glimpse of an approaching Atomic Skull and Joker before she scooped up Robin in her arms in a princess carry and flew down to the ground, narrowly avoiding another shot from Atomic Skull. Over the roaring of the flames, she could hear Joker lamenting to himself.

"Children, _children_ foiled our plan. Inconceivable!" He sounded a little like a disgruntled Scooby-Doo villain. "Unacceptable, retributionable! That last one might not be a word, so sue me."

As she landed safely on the ground, Robin scrambling out of her arms, she caught sight of both Count Vertigo and Black Adam, who had met back up with Poison Ivy.

"Kill them. Kill them _all_." Count Vertigo ordered.

Robin helped a disoriented Miss Martian back to her feet, only to be forced to dodge again as Atomic Skull sent out another beam of energy.

Hawkgirl's attention locked on Black Adam, who she perceived to be the greatest threat at the moment. Flaring out her wings, she rocketed towards him as a crackling miasma of white energy erupted on the head of her mace. Yelling out a war cry, she slammed her mace straight into Black Adam's jaw, sending him staggering back.

Adam snarled at her as he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Thanagarian _trash_." As she reeled back for another hit, he backhanded her across the face. She was sent sprawling into the mud, though she managed to keep a hold of her mace. The entire right side of her face was throbbing, but she ignored it.

"ENOUGH!" Wotan's voice echoed across the battlefield, freezing hero and villain in their tracks. Hawkgirl looked towards the source of the voice in time to see a bolt of magic headed her way. Leveraging herself up into a crouch, she batted away the energy with her mace, gritting her teeth at the sudden influx of force. With singular determination, she beat back the beam, keeping it at bay and taking full advantage of Nth metal's anti-magic properties.

Unfortunately, that also meant she was stuck.

It was only a matter of time before one of the other villains attacked her, taking advantage of her cornered state.

Looks like they'd need to use Plan B after all.

"Aqualad!" She shouted, catching his attention from where he was crouched near M'Gann. Seeing her, his eyes widened and he gave a single nod.

Successful nonverbal communication during a combat scenario was _the best_.

Shifting his position so he was hovering above Miss Martian, he used his hands to divert the magic away from her and free her from the spell. "Plan B." He said quietly. M'Gann's eyes immediately glowed green, and the duffle bag Aqualad had stowed on the bioship dropped out of the sky a moment later. Freeing up one of his hands, Aqualad unzipped the bag and revealed the gleaming golden contents, holding it aloft.

Shocked by the mere _sight_ of the artifact, Wotan ended his spell. "The Helmet of Fate…"

With the threat of the magical beam gone, Hawkgirl dropped her arms and bent her head, panting slightly. Sweat had beaded across her brow, and she had to actively resist the urge to tear off her helmet and wipe the salty rivulets off of her face and away from her eyes. Instead, she settled for blinking rapidly and trying to get her breathing back to normal, taking advantage of the short reprieve.

"No, Aqualad, don't!" Kid Flash scrambled to his feet, only for Black Adam to deck him in the face, sending him careening back-first into a tree. Superboy swiftly dealt a punch to Black Adam in return, almost managing to hit the same spot she'd hit with her mace earlier.

But despite the speedster's attempt at swaying him from his intended course of action, Aqualad still lowered the helmet onto his head. An eye-searing flash of light ripped through the clearing, until Doctor Fate stood among them once more. Or rather, floated.

Standing up, Kid Flash cradled a most likely broken arm. "Oh _dude_ …"

Doctor Fate flew up to face his opponent head on. "Wotan, you are _mine_." Wotan fired an orange energy spell, only for Fate to respond with a golden spell of his own emanating out of his chest. The Lord of Order's spell proved to be far superior, ripping through the orange beam and slamming into the opposing caster. Wotan ended up half-embedded in the roof of the villain's headquarters.

Satisfied that Wotan wouldn't be a threat to the troops on the ground any longer, Hawkgirl did a quick scan around her. Everyone seemed to be doing relatively fine on their own, with Artemis covering an injured Wally, Robin dodging Joker, and Superboy taking on Ultra-Humanite.

Guess that left Black Adam for her… _again_.

This time, it was the villain that made the first move, flying towards her and lashing out with a fist that she barely managed to dodge, ducking and rolling. In that instant, she was battle ready again. Before she popped back to her feet, she lashed out at his ankle with her mace. Black Adam took the blow, gritting his teeth and raising his foot up, slamming it down onto the ground and creating a small shockwave that rippled through the boggy ground.

The terrain upset, Hawkgirl took to the air, Black Adam following suit. Usually, she would have had some iota of advantage against a fellow flying opponent, seeing as she was more familiar fighting in this kind of terrain than him. However, Black Adam's awesome strength meant little things like flora obstacles were of no consequence.

When she did a tight circle around a tree in an attempt to get behind him, he merely went _through_ the tree. His hand extended out in front of him, and she reacted on instinct, activating the chain on her weapon. Just as his fingers brushed the skin of her throat, she wrapped the chain around his wrist, tucked in her wings, and _dropped_. Landing on the soft ground, she yanked the chain down with both hands, forcing Black Adam into the dirt. If she hadn't managed to surprise him, she was sure that _definitely_ wouldn't have worked.

Black Adam stood up and shook off the loosely wrapped chain, lips curled into a snarl and tensed to move at any moment.

But a magic-laced voice from above gave him pause. "Not today, Wotan."

Instead of heading for her, he vanished and reappeared with the rest of the villains as the sky filled with familiar (and highly reassuring) figures, the cavalry _finally_ here.

Zatara, Superman, Martian Manhunter, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, Hawkwoman, Hawkman, John Stewart, Aquaman, Batman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary, nearly the entirety of the Justice League descended, surrounding the villains in a circle.

In short, they weren't taking any chances.

Hawkgirl and the rest of the sidekicks remained on the fringes of the League's protective circle.

"It's over." Batman announced, brooking no room for argument.

Vertigo traded a look with Ivy, before he put his hands up in surrender, the rest of his band following suit… apart from Joker. "There will be another day." Vertigo declared.

"Another day?" Joker practically screamed. "Another day! There will be another day?! Not for _any of us_!" He held up his hands and waggled his fingers, which seemed to be covered in some kind of tech-infused gloves. "Ha ha haaa!" As the Joker shrieked out another of his signature laughs, a thick vine rose out of the bayou, this one different from its predecessors. The green flesh had sprouted some kind of red bud.

Said buds promptly burst open, erupting with a billowing green gas. Ski'Lira suddenly found herself flanked by both of her parents, wings flared out to nearly their full span.

"Joker-made spores." Batman said. "Don't breath!" He darted forward and slammed a fist into Joker's face, keeping him from creating any more of the spores.

Just as the cloud rose up and was about to engulf them, Doctor Fate appeared above it. "Fear not." A golden ankh appeared, cloaked in a golden sphere that sucked all of the gas into it in an instant. "Fate has intervened."

H

Most of the League had left to escort the villains away, as the firepower was needed to make sure not a single one so much as _attempted_ to escape on their way to incarceration. Her father had been one of the guards selected to go, but her mother had remained behind along with Aquaman, Captain Marvel, Batman, and Zatara.

And now they stood before Dr. Fate, a matter that needed to be resolved quickly. Hawkgirl's grip on the handle of her mace was tight, which went unnoticed by her peers

"What were you _thinking?!_ " Wally demanded. It had been a while since she'd seen him so riled up. "How could you let him put on the helmet?!" He shot a look back at M'Gann and Hawkgirl that radiated betrayal, before returning his attention to the golden hero. "Nabu will _never_ release him now. Kaldur will be trapped inside Dr. Fate forever."

When Kaldur's hands reached up and slid the helmet off, reverting to his normal self with a burst of magic, her grip on her mace loosened, relaxing out of her subtle battle stance. Kid Flash ran forward, practically radiating disbelief.

"Nabu let you go?"

"He almost did not." Kaldur admitted. "But your friend Kent was most helpful. He says hello."

"We're done here." Batman interrupted now that the matter was resolved. Far more easily than she had expected it to, to be honest, though she had an inkling that the only reason Zatara had stayed behind was to deal with Dr. Fate if the situation called for it. Same with her mother. "The super villain secret society has been neutralized. As for _your_ performance…" He paused. "It was satisfactory."

In 'Bat Terms', that was practically glowing praise.

She'd take it.

Realizing they've been effectively dismissed, the team huddled up again.

"That was still _really_ stupid." Kid Flash was grumbling, apparently still far from done griping about their life choices.

"There is a reason why it was meant as a back-up plan." Kaldur patiently explained. "I was hard-pressed to get Hawkgirl to agree to it at all."

"How did you know he'd let you go?" Artemis asked.

"I did not know for sure, but… I had a feeling." The Atlantean answered honestly. "And in case I was wrong…" His pale green eyes flickered over to Hawkgirl.

Hoisting her mace up onto her shoulder, she flashed them all a sharp grin. "Plan C."

Robin returned her smile. "And that would be…?"

"Ringing his head like a kettle bell until he let Kaldur go." From across the clearing, she heard her mother bark out a laugh and Aquaman mutter ' _She's your daughter all right.'_ Speaking of Kaldur, she had an important question to ask him. "So, Mr. Nelson's… okay?"

"He seems to be." Kaldur told her. "He wanted me to pass along his well wishes to you as well, including his thanks, for staying with him after he… passed. He thought it was, and I quote 'quite sweet'."

Hawkgirl looked away. "That tower guardian is a damn gossip."

Miss Martian cleared her throat a little. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm getting pretty tired. And Kid Flash really needs to get that arm looked at."

"Oh my god _please_." The speedster groaned. "Do you know what happens if someone with an enhanced healing factor doesn't get a break set fast enough? _Nightmare_." He shuddered.

The group moved off towards the bioship, more than ready to be done with this mission.

Artemis was the first to notice that Ski'Lira didn't move. "Hawkgirl?"

"I think I'll just fly home." Hawkgirl explained. "No point in doubling back."

"You sure?" Robin confirmed.

"Positive. Fly home safe." She held up a hand in farewell.

"You too!" Miss Martian replied brightly.

She waited until everyone had disappeared into the bioship before heading over to the League, sidling up to her mother who affectionately whapped her with a wing in greeting. "Ready to go, fledgling?"

Hawkgirl gave her a tired smile. "Definitely."

* * *

 **ATTENTION!** Readers, I want _your_ help with writing a oneshot!

 _In cooperation with an international charity created to help the victims of villain attacks and their families, the Justice League (and their associated sidekicks) are openly answering questions submitted by the public. For five dollars, they get to submit a question, and can donate more than once to ask more. The questions are screened, of course, and all of the profits go directly to the charity._

 _Two separate videos are being filmed, posted on the charity's website and any and all social media associated with the charity. The Justice League's video has been up for two days, but now it's time for the members of Young Justice to film their own._

So, my lovely readers, what questions would you submit to the team?

Feel free to make it as ridiculous or as serious as you want. Have a question you've always wanted answered? Here's your chance! Want to know the craziest thing in Robin's utility belt? Here's your chance? Want to force Hawkgirl into admitting something crazy? Here's your chance! Just really want to know what Aqualad's favorite color is for some reason? Here's your chance!

Just leave your chosen question (or multiples if you like) in a review!


End file.
